The Earthquake Commission (EQC) is spending $NZ3 million ($2.8 million) on new research to increase New Zealand’s resilience to natural hazards and reach its goals of stronger buildings, resilient infrastructure and access to insurance.

The program will fund eight leading scientists at five universities for research into understanding natural hazard risks, and finding ways to reduce the impact. Each research project will receive $NZ125,000 ($116,768) a year for three years.

EQC Head of Resilience Strategy and Research Jo Horrocks says New Zealand is well known as one of the riskiest countries in the world from a natural hazards point of view.

“Our university research program funding helps these visionary scientists make further advances in each of their fields, which range from paleoseismology, geology and engineering to economics and applying Mātauranga Māori to disaster risk reduction,” Ms Horrocks said.

[Mātauranga Māori is defined as “the knowledge, comprehension, or understanding of everything visible and invisible existing in the universe”.]

The program will support more than 30 students at Masters and PhD level to develop their skills and knowledge under expert guidance.

The EQC invests $NZ17 million a year in scientific research and data.