Civil Engineer of the National University of Colombia, Doctor of Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics of the Technical University of Catalonia. He has graduate studies on Earthquake Engineering, Disaster Prevention and Risk Mitigation in the Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Engineering Seismology, Macedonia, Oxford Polytechnic and Colorado State University, respectively. At present, he is professor of the Institute of Environmental Studies of the National University of Colombia, Manizales, and of the University of Los Andes, Bogota. He is the former President of the Colombian Association for Earthquake Engineering (1992-2004) and the General Director of the National Directorate of Disaster Prevention and Attention of Colombia (1992-1995). He is founder member of Latin American Network of Social Studies on Disaster Prevention (LA RED). In 2004 he was elected as the laureate of UN Sasakawa Disaster Prevention Prize "in recognition of his outstanding research contributions to knowledge and innovative practices for vulnerability assessment and disaster risk reduction worldwide".

Born in Paris, France, 1937; citizenships: Colombian and French; Engineer in Geology and Petroleum, Universidad Nacional, Medellín, 1963; MSc at Colorado State University, 1970; MA at Princeton University, 1973.

Professor, Universidad Nacional, Medellín: 1964-1992; Dean, School of Sciences, Universidad Nacional Medellín: 1974-1977; Director, Colombian Geological Survey, Bogotá: 1977-1980; Professor, Universidad EAFIT (1992 - present); Member of AGID board (1980-1988); IUGS Commission on Geology for Environmental Planning (1989-1995); President: Colombian Society of Geology, (1979-1981), Professional Council for Geology (2002-Present). Elected member, Colombian Academy of Sciences (2007).

Authors of more than 200 papers, published in national and international journals (scientific and popularization); editor of several congress memoirs and books; organiser of several national and international congresses and seminars.

Main scientific interests: tropical geomorphology, chemical weathering , tephrachronology, environmental geology, urban geology, natural hazard prevention, regional history of earth sciences.

Professor Tony Gibbs is a civil engineer specialized in structures, acting, mainly, in the Caribbean region and is, currently, the Secretary General of the Council ofCaribbean Engineering Organizations.

A former President of The Barbados Association of Professional Engineers; and Vice President of The Institution of Structural Engineers (UK); Professor Gibbs was a Fellow of The Institution of Civil Engineers (UK) and Fellow of The American Society of Civil Engineers and has acted as Associate Project Manager for the Caribbean Uniform Building Code.

He was also a Deputy Chairman of the Barbados National Council for Science & Technology, Chairman of the Barbados Building Standards Authority Advisory Committee and Director of the American Association for Wind Engineering.

Professor Gibbs' has special interest in multi-hazard design against hurricanes and earthquakes, and has devoted much of his time to the particular problems related to the structural design of hospitals in areas subject to those natural hazards; he is particularly interested in the interrelationship between engineering and insurance.

In 1991 Professor Gibbs received the International Award "For (his) Very Significant Contributions to Hurricane Loss Reduction and Hurricane Safety in the Caribbean" at the US National Hurricane Conference; and an award "In Recognition of (his) Contribution to the Advancement and Promotion of Structural Engineering in the Caribbean" from The Barbados Association of Professional Engineers. In 1998 he received the award of "Career of Excellence in Engineering" from the Association of Professional Engineers of Trinidad & Tobago. Professor Gibbs also received in 2003 the Lewis Kent Award from The Institution of Structural Engineers (UK) for services to engineering and in 2007 the UN-ISDR Sasakawa Award for Disaster Reduction .

Professor Allan Lavell a British citizen and resident of Costa Rica is actually Coordinator to FLACSO for the Program Social Studies, Risks and Disasters (LA RED), and Central America and Caribbean Coordinator for the Latin American Network for Social Studies and Disasters.

A PhD in Economic Geography from the London School of Economics and Political Sciences, Professor Lavell is a Principal researcher and Coordinator of ENSO and Risk Patterns in Latin America (IAI-LA RED) involving 8 countries.

Professor Lavell is a former Coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean of the Program of Social Studies in Disasters at the General Secretariat of FLACSO in Costa Rica (1992-2005); Director Central-American Research Program, CSUCA in San Jose, Costa Rica (1986-1991); Associated Professor at the Demographic and Urban Studies Center, Colégio de Mexico in México and Associated professor and researcher at the Environmental Studies Center (CEMA) of the Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana, Atzcapotzalco, México

Author of 92 academic publications Professor Lavell's main works are on risks and natural disasters.

Professor Bertoni is “Docteur en Science de l'Eau from the Université des Sciences Montpellier II, France, a Master in Water resources and Water Disposal, Institute of Hydraulic Research at Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil.

At present Professor Bertoni is a Project Director for Action Plan during Emergencies (PADE) and Full Professor of Hydrologic and Hydraulic Processes at Cordoba National University in Argentina.

He is a former Director of GENON Network, International Coordinator of the OAS/BID White Helmet Commission Project, Coordinator of the Actualization of National Committee, CONAPHI, and project representative by Argentina to the Associated Program of Management Floods in Urban Areas; Global Water Partnership, GWP-SAMTAC, WMO-OMM.

Professor María del Carmen Samayoa, from Guatemala and president of the Guatemala Academy of Medical,Physical and Natural Sciences, is Biochemical specialist with a Masters degree in Toxicology.

She has dedicated her career to Applied Research. As a result of that, she has presented 89 publications in International Scientific Journals. She has also made two chapters in food storage book. Is also a Committee member of COGUANOR (for accreditation of laboratories), and laboratory auditor for ISO 17025.As a teacher, she has worked in two of the most distinguished universities of Guatemala. Active member of the National Council of Science and Technology. In the present, she is a member of ICSU Regional Committee for Latin America and the Caribbean. Secretary of the Caribbean Scientific Union Board, and member of the Executive Committee of IANAS.