The Center

CIGIDEN

CIGIDEN is a FONDAP-CONICYT center of excellence. Since its inception in 2011, it involved four Chilean universities: Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Universidad Andrés Bello and Universidad Católica del Norte. However, the center’s fields of action have been supplemented and expanded thanks to collaborations with researchers from other universities, research centers and public services in the country. Thus, in recent years, researchers from other institutions such as Universidad de Concepción, Sernageomin, Universidad de Valparaíso, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Universidad del Desarrollo and Universidad de Chile, have collaborated with us.

To create knowledge and prevent extreme natural events from becoming disasters, CIGIDEN has a team of researchers from different fields, such as earth sciences, engineering, social sciences, geography, economics, design, architecture, urbanism and communications. This interdisciplinary approach led to a deep academic transformation, going from the study of natural hazards and emergency response, towards a comprehensive approach focused on reducing exposure to hazards and building resilience.

Our scientific production is internationally recognized, and CIGIDEN’s public policy and technology transfer proposals or contributions are positively impacting people’s lives, as we believe that scientific research of excellence is only possible with knowledge, presence and anchorage in the territory, through the construction of collaborative relationships and permanent dialogue with people, communities and decision-makers.

MISSION

Generating knowledge of excellence to prevent extreme natural events from becoming disasters.

VISION

Becoming a global benchmark of disaster risk reduction and resilience.

OBJETIVES

  • Increasing CIGIDEN’s influence on public policy decisions.
  • Expanding CIGIDEN’s regional presence.
  • Collaborating with the world’s best disaster research centers and institutes.
  • Strengthening interdisciplinary training.
  • Increasing Chile’s resilience in natural hazards.

National colaboration

Universidad Diego Portales

Universidad del Desarrollo

Universidad de Valparaiso

Universidad Católica de Valparaíso

Universidad de Chile

Universidad de Concepción

Instituto Nacional de Hidráulica

Dirección Meteorológica de Chile

Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería (Sernageomin)

Servicio Hifrográfico y Oceanográfico de la Armada de Chile (SHOA)

Oficina Nacional de Emergencias (ONEMI) Ministerio del Interior

Intendencia Región Metropolitana

Ministerio de Salud

Ministerio del Desarrollo

Ministerio de Vivienda y Urbanismo

International colaboration

Global Seismic Network (con GFZ)

Global Tsunami Model

Global Earthquake Model

Global Alliance of Disaster Research Institutes

University of Tokyo

Tohoku University

Kansai University

Port and Airport Research Institute

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)

INRIA

German Aerospace Center (DLR)

Manchester University

University College London (Inglaterra)

GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences (Alemania)

U.S. Geological Survey

Texas A&M University

University of Massachusetts

University of Delaware

Johns Hopkins University

Cornell University

University of Notre Dame