2025 NSF NHERI GSC Mini-Conference Proceedings

The 2025 NHERI Graduate Student Council (GSC) Mini-Conference marks a turning point in how the next generation of natural hazards researchers connects, collaborates, and leads. Conceived as more than a traditional academic meeting, the Mini-Conference has evolved into a living laboratory for student-driven science, one where engineering, data science, and social inquiry converge to imagine more resilient futures.

Since its establishment in 2021, the NHERI GSC has grown into an active community of graduate students supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation through the Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI). Entirely student-run, the GSC provides a platform for emerging scholars to engage in leadership, research communication, and cross-disciplinary problem-solving that mirrors the collaborative spirit of NHERI itself.

Held virtually on May 16, 2025, this year’s Mini-Conference reflected that expanding vision. The program featured a keynote lecture by Dr. Jamie Padgett of Rice University, three thematic paper sessions, two poster sessions, and, for the first time, a Data Challenge track. The Data Challenge invited student teams to mine open datasets from the NSF NHERI DesignSafe Data Depot, using computational tools to address questions of hazard performance, community risk, and resilience metrics. The initiative exemplified the Council’s commitment to open data, team science, and innovation across disciplinary boundaries.

Beyond the presentations and discussions, the 2025 Mini-Conference served as a mentorship incubator and a celebration of student initiative. Over 160 participants joined from across the NHERI network to exchange research ideas, gain feedback, and build professional networks that extend well beyond the event. Many participants published in their first book of proceedings through this platform, marking an early milestone in their careers as researchers and practitioners.

As NHERI enters next year, the GSC continues to demonstrate how empowered student leadership can sustain a culture of collaboration and creativity within the natural hazards community. The 2025 Mini-Conference stands as both a reflection of that progress and a call to keep building the resilient, inclusive research networks that our field, and our world, require.