The Bruce Bolt Medal honors the legacy of Professor Bolt. It is awarded jointly by COSMOS, Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI), and the Seismological Society of America (SSA) to recognize individuals worldwide who work at the intersection of Seismology and Earthquake Engineering, whose accomplishments involve the promotion and use of earthquake measurements, and whose leadership in the transfer of scientific and engineering knowledge into practice or policy has led to improved seismic safety. The annual award is presented at the annual meeting of the recipient’s choice among the three sponsoring organizations.
The award was created after the passing of Professor Bolt, and the first award was given in 2009.
About Bruce Bolt
Bruce Alan Bolt (1930-2005) was arguably the founder of Engineering Seismology. Professor Bolt was both an internationally recognized seismologist and an elected Member of the National Academy of Engineering. Among his many roles, he was the Founding President of COSMOS, President of SSA, President of IASPEI, and Chair of the California Seismic Safety Commission. He was truly a pioneer at the intersection of Earthquake Science and Earthquake Engineering.
Past Recipients
- José A. Martinez-Cruzado (2023)
- CB Crouse (2022)
- Yousef Bozorgnia (2019)
- Jonathan Stewart (2018)
- Farzad Naeim (2017)
- Roger D. Borcherdt (2016)
- John Anderson (2015)
- Anthony F. Shakal (2014)
- Mustafa Erdik (2013)
- Norman A. Abrahamson (2012)
- Kojiro Irikura (2011)
- David Boore (2010)
- Wilfred D. (Bill) Iwan (2009)
Nomination Process
If you are interested in putting forward a nominee, please review the nomination information below and contact the committee at boltmedal@eeri.org.
Selection Criteria
In the spirit of Bruce Bolt’s contribution to the science, the chosen recipient must meet all of the following three criteria:
(1) Promotion of strong-motion instrumentation or advancing strong-motion data processing or publicly-available data utilization;
(2) Technical contributions in earthquake engineering or engineering seismology; and
(3) Leadership in the transfer of knowledge into practice or policy that has led to improved seismic safety.
Nomination Material
COSMOS, EERI, and SSA members are encouraged to nominate a colleague or peer for this prestigious honor. Complete nomination packages should be submitted using this form.
The deadline to submit nominations for the 2025 Bruce Bolt Medal is June 30, 2024 at 11:59pm Pacific Time.
Incomplete nomination packages will not be considered by the Joint Selection Committee.
A complete nomination package must include the following:
- A nomination letter, written and submitted by the chief nominator. It should be no longer than two pages and must address the ways in which the candidate meets all three of the selection criteria provided below.
- A Curriculum Vitae for the nominee or a substantial summary of the professional history of the candidate including employment, significant publications, honors, activities, and accomplishments relevant to the Bolt Medal criteria.
- The current contact information for the candidate.
- The nomination must be endorsed by three additional individuals, either by adding their signature to the nominating letter or by providing an additional individual letter of support. Such individual letters should include a personal perspective on the nominee and their sustained impact on the field.
- A signed nominator disclosure form signed by the chief nominator. Click here to download this form.
Please note, the nomination form requires a google account to submit. If you do not have a google account, you can submit your materials by sending them in an email to boltmedal@eeri.org.
Annual Timeline
| Approximate Timing | Activity |
| May 1 | First announcement, nomination form opens |
| June 30 | Nomination deadline, form closes |
| August 31 | Bruce Bolt Award Selection Committee submits recommendation for winner to EERI, SSA, and COSMOS |
| October | Winner notified by Selection Committee Chair |
About the Selection Committee
The Bruce Bolt Award Selection Committee is responsible for selecting one annual recipient of the Bruce Bolt Medal from amongst the submitted nominations, and preparing a written recommendation to the EERI, SSA, and COMOS Board of Directors for endorsement and approval. The committee also helps to advertise and solicit nominations during the nomination period. The committee will consist of 6-voting members. Each organization will appoint two members to the committee.