Charles Scawthorn is Professor in the Department of Urban Management of Kyoto University. He has practiced as a structural engineer and risk analyst for over 30 years, assessing risk and developing integrated mitigation programs for natural and technological hazards, for the insurance industry, Fortune 1000 companies and government agencies in North America, Europe and Asia, and investigating disasters in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Turkey and the former Soviet Union.

Dr. Scawthorn is well known for his work in developing models of fire following earthquake, and is certified by the Department of Defense and Sandia Laboratories in techniques related to protective construction and security assessment. From 1998 to 2003 he led the technical team developing the HAZUS US national Flood Loss Estimation Model, for FEMA, and recently served on a committee to develop the NEHRP Plan to Coordinate Post-earthquake Investigations. He serves on the Editorial Boards of Engineering Structures and the Natural Hazards Review, co-edited the Earthquake Engineering Handbook (CRC Press), Fire Following Earthquake (ASCE) and Fire Safety in Tall Buildings (McGraw-Hill), is a contributor to the McGraw-Hill Yearbook of Science and Technology, and is the author of over 150 technical papers. He is a graduate of The Cooper Union (New York), and received his Master of Science degree from Lehigh University(Pennsylvania) and Doctor of Engineering from Kyoto University. He is licensed as a Structural Engineer in California and Washington, and Professional/Civil Engineer in California, and New York.