Prof. Osamu Murao

International Strategy for Disaster Mitigation Research Laboratory
Regional and Urban Reconstruction Research Division
International Research Institute of Disaster Science
Tohoku University

Dual Post:

Department of Architecture and Building Science
School of Engineering
Tohoku University

Research Areas

Architecture and urban design related to disaster management
Post-disaster recovery process (Comprehensive theory of disaster recovery)
Urban vulnerability and building collapse risk
Urban safety planning and design

Research Experience

2013-

Professor, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University

2009-2010

Fulbright Visiting Scholar 2009-2010, Graduate School of Design, Harvard University, and Marine Education Center, the University of Hawaii at Hilo

2006

Visiting Scholar, Institute for Crisis, Disaster and Risk Management, George Washington University

2005-2013

Associate Professor, The University of Tsukuba
Visiting Researcher, Graduate Institute of Building and Planning, National Taiwan University
(2005 summer)

2000-2005

Assistant Professor, The University of Tsukuba

1996-2000

Research Associate, Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo

1995-1996

Researcher, Laboratory of Urban Safety Planning, Inc.

Education

1999

Doctor of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Study on Building Damage Estimation based on the Actual Damage Data due to the 1995 Hyogoken Nanbu Earthquake

1992

Master of Engineering, Architecture, Yokohama National University, Kanagawa, Japan
Study on Space Characteristics and Development of Circulation in Architecture by Tadao Ando

1989

Bachelor of Engineering, Architecture, Yokohama National University, Kanagawa, Japan

Notable License

1995

Obtain the 1st Class qualified architect

Institutional Membership

• Archtectural Institute of Japan
• The City Planning Institute of Japan
• Institute of Social Safety Science, Japan
• Japan Society for Natural Disaster Science
• Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, USA
• Japan Association for Earthquake engineering

Award

2020

Architectural Institute of Japan Education Award 2020 (AIJ Award for Excellent Educational Contribution)

2014

The Prize of Architectural Institute of Japan 2014 (Research Theses Division)

2012

Award for Educational Contributions of Faculty of Engineering, Information and Systems, University of Tsukuba

2011

Silver Prize of Community Design for Children's future, The 2011 International Competition for the Disaster Recovery Plan after the Great East Japan Earthquake by Place in Memory and Dream Crystal Project –Seven Stories for the Victims and Children-

2002

Encouragement Prize of Architectural Institute of Japan
Kai Umemura Prize, Architectural Institute of Japan

1990

The First Prize of Urban Design Competition for Tsurumi, Yokohama City