Dr. Rolando P. Orense
Dr Rolando P. Orense is Professor of Geotechnical Engineering in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. He obtained his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (cum laude) and Master of Science in Civil Engineering degrees from the University of the Philippines and his Doctor of Engineering degree from the University of Tokyo, Japan.
Before joining the University of Auckland in 2007, Dr Orense held academic positions at the University of the Philippines, the University of Tokyo, and Yamaguchi University in Japan. In parallel with his academic career, he gained extensive professional experience working with leading geotechnical consulting firms in Tokyo and Manila, contributing to a wide range of engineering projects in Japan, Singapore, and the Philippines. This combination of academic and industry experience has shaped his practical and research-oriented approach to geotechnical engineering.
Dr Orense is a Registered Professional Engineer in the Philippines and in the State of Oregon, USA, and is a Fellow of Engineering New Zealand. He serves on the Management Committee of the New Zealand Geotechnical Society and is an active member of several international professional organisations, including the ASCE Geo-Institute, the Japanese Geotechnical Society, and the Philippine Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering. He is a nominated member of the ISSMGE TC-105 (Geomechanics from Micro to Macro), TC-306 (Geo-engineering Education), and AsRTC-3 (Geotechnology for Natural Hazards).
His research and consulting activities focus on earthquake geotechnical engineering, particularly soil dynamics and liquefaction, slope movements and stability, and soil and site characterisation. He has authored or co-authored more than 450 journal and conference papers, as well as 2 books, 3 edited books, and 7 book chapters.
In recognition of his contributions to the field, Dr Orense was selected to deliver the 2025 Geomechanics Lecture, the premier award of the New Zealand Geotechnical Society. He has also received Best Research Paper awards from both the New Zealand and Japanese Geotechnical Societies. He currently serves as Co-Lead of the Disciplinary Theme 1 (Integrated Seismic Hazards) programme within QuakeCoRE, the New Zealand Centre for Earthquake Resilience.
