On May 21-22, 2026, Pavia hosted the Tenth Nigel Priestley Seminar, coinciding with the twenty-fourth edition of the International ROSE Seminar. The event, held at the Auditorium of Collegio Cardinale Agostino Riboldi, convened students, researchers, doctoral candidates, faculty members and professionals from leading academic institutions worldwide, affirming Pavia’s role as a central hub for research in earthquake engineering.

The initiative benefited from collaboration among Pavia’s established research network, comprising the University School for Advanced Studies IUSS Pavia, the University of Pavia, Eucentre Foundation, and GEM Foundation. The opening remarks were delivered by the Mayor of Pavia, Michele Lissia, who emphasised the strategic importance of seismic research and the ROSE School’s role as a centre of excellence within the national and international context.

The scientific program comprised two intense days of research dissemination and discussion. The opening day included the public defence of three doctoral theses addressing key themes in earthquake engineering: retrofitting strategies for historic masonry structures, integrated approaches that combine seismic resilience and energy efficiency, and assessing seismic damage in reinforced concrete structures using crack-based methodologies. The programme then continued with sessions dedicated to ongoing research conducted by ROSE PhD candidates, focusing on structural capacity design and the optimisation of seismic retrofitting interventions. The first day concluded with a gala dinner that brought together all seminar participants.

Among the highlights of the second day was the Keynote Lecture delivered by Prof. Paolo Franchin of Sapienza University of Rome, focusing on the innovations introduced in the second-generation Eurocode 8, the primary European normative framework for the earthquake-resistant design of buildings and infrastructure. The developments presented bear significant implications for international engineering practice.

The seminar reached one of its most solemn and significant moments with the posthumous conferral of the Nigel Priestley Prize 2026 to Prof. Paolo Emilio Pinto, an eminent figure in international earthquake engineering. Among his many scientific contributions, the development of the Menegotto-Pinto model for nonlinear structural response simulation, continues to represent a fundamental methodological tool in advanced structural analysis software employed worldwide. Prof. Pinto maintained a longstanding relationship with Eucentre and the ROSE School, contributing significantly to the training of generations of researchers and engineers active in the field globally. The prize was received by Prof. Pinto’s sister, Prof. Maria Antonietta Pinto.

The second day’s research sessions addressed a broad range of topics related to seismic risk reduction, including the structural behaviour of masonry gables, life-cycle decision-making processes for structures, autonomous seismic protection systems, and structural fragility assessment following the 2023 earthquakes in Türkiye.

The Seminar concluded with the Graduation Ceremony for ROSE Master’s and PhD graduates, reflecting the continuity between Nigel Priestley’s scientific legacy and the training of future generations of earthquake engineers.

Here’s a Google Photo Gallery with the Seminar’s highlights.