Maria Luz Cordova

Ecuadorian engineer who pioneered earthquake-resistant construction techniques saving thousands of lives in Latin America

Maria Luz Cordova (b. 1974) transformed building practices in seismic zones through her 2002 invention of the Banda de Vida - a flexible steel band that reduces building collapse risk by 70%. This innovation was adopted by Ecuador's 2008 construction code after proving its effectiveness during the 2016 Muisne earthquake. Cordova's 2005 book 《Constructing Safety in Shaking Ground》 became the standard textbook for civil engineers across the Andean region. She co-founded Construye Seguro in 2009, training over 15,000 builders in low-cost retrofitting techniques. Her 2013 documentary 《When the Earth Shakes》 (IMDb: tt2564436) explains her methods to general audiences. Cordova's systems were crucial in rebuilding after the 2019 Peru earthquake, reducing casualties by 40% compared to previous disasters. She received the 2020 UNESCO Engineering Prize and advises the UNDRR on disaster preparedness. Her open-source designs are used in 12 countries through SismoSafety, a platform she launched in 2017.