The Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) is deeply grateful to announce a significant gift of $350,000 from the estate of Vilas and Ingrid Mujumdar. Vilas Mujumdar, an EERI member since 1994, was a private consultant and retired National Science Foundation (NSF) senior executive who managed and oversaw many programs related to earthquake risk reduction.
“Vilas Mujumdar had a distinguished professional career exemplified by engineering and administrative leadership in support of earthquake engineering,” remembers UC Berkeley Professor and EERI Honorary Member, Jack Moehle. “My early interactions with Vilas were when he was a program director with NSF providing administrative oversight and programmatic guidance for the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center as we worked to develop educational and research programs in support of earthquake engineering. Vilas approached his oversight tasks with creative technical ideas, encouragement, and always a friendly smile. We became good friends over the years. The generosity of Vilas and his wife Ingrid by their gift to EERI is remarkable but not surprising in light of his long-standing commitment to earthquake engineering and risk reduction.”
Dr. Mujumdar was recognized during his highly distinguished career for the development of innovative precast concrete building systems, for providing significant leadership in private industry, state and federal government, and for seminal contributions to the interdisciplinary systems approach to reduce earthquake hazard risk, specifically combining the socio-economic discipline with civil engineering. His breadth of experience included design, project management, teaching, research management, and strategic management consulting.
His professional roles included senior executive management positions in the private sector, state and federal government agencies, and non-profit organizations. At the National Science Foundation (NSF), he served as the Director of Engineering Research Centers and the Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES) Program. Notably, he also worked as the Chief of Operations for the Division of the State Architect for the State of California where he oversaw earthquake engineering for state government buildings. Additionally, he was the President, CEO, and member of the Board of Directors for numerous firms in consulting engineering, manufacturing, and project management, including the Concrete Masonry Association of California and Nevada.
For his outstanding contributions, Vilas received several prestigious national and international awards, including being elected a Distinguished Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (2013), the Kenneth Andrew Roe award (2016) from American Association of Engineering Societies, the National Science Foundation Director’s Award for Collaboration Integration (2009), the NSF Outstanding Public Service Award (2008), and a Special Recognition (1999) from the Governor of California “for making a significant contribution to enhancing seismic safety in California.”
Dr. Mujumdar held a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Vikram University and an M.S. in Civil/Structural Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, both in India. He held an MBA from Santa Clara University, and a Ph.D. from the School of Policy, Planning and Development from the University of Southern California. He was a registered Civil and Structural Engineer in California. He passed away in 2023, followed by his wife in 2025.
“I am deeply honored and grateful that Vilas and Ingrid Mujumdar included such a substantial gift from their estate to support EERI’s mission and work to increase earthquake resilience,” said Executive Director Heidi Tremayne. “It is thrilling to work with the Board to identify ways to realize immediate impact and honor their legacy and commitment to EERI’s mission."
In March 2026, the EERI Board of Directors decided to use some of this gift in 2026 to foster the career growth of our early career members. As a longtime NSF leader that encouraged and promoted the advancement of opportunities for new generations of earthquake professionals, the Board felt that this type of recognition would be a fitting honor to share his legacy with early career members.
In particular, EERI offered more than 40 early career applicants a “Vilas and Ingrid Mujumdar Early Career 13NCEE Participation Grant” to attend the upcoming 13th National Conference on Earthquake Engineering. EERI received an overwhelming number of applicants for support, and the need greatly exceeded the other generous funding sources available.
EERI will also list “Vilas and Ingrid Mujumdar” as our anchor supporters for the 2026 Learning from Earthquakes Travel Study Trip to Taiwan, using some of their gift to defray some costs and keep registration fees affordable for the many deserving early career participants selected for this transformational experience.
The Board continues to explore and consider other uses of the remaining funds, but is committed to ensuring that this generous gift furthers our mission, supports the long term health of EERI, and fosters our early career members.
“EERI is committed to ensuring the best possible use of this gift in ways that celebrate the life, work and legacy of Vilas and Ingrid Mujumdar,” said EERI Board President Ellen Rathje. “I was fortunate to have interacted with Vilas early in my career when he was at NSF. He clearly had a passion to support research that would minimize the impacts of earthquakes, and that is exactly what this gift will help realize.”
“Bequests, like this one from the Mujumdars, are critically important to ensure the sustainability of our long term mission,” Rathje continued. “This gift has given us financial flexibility to dream big and ensure our new strategic initiatives can take hold and serve our members in essential ways. I sincerely appreciate the incredible generosity of Vilas and Ingrid, and the support of all donors, who consider EERI in their estate planning.”
If you are interested in building a lasting legacy at EERI and ensuring more resilient communities today and in the future, there are many different ways that you can support our mission as a donor—learn more here or contact EERI’s Executive Director Heidi Tremayne to discuss your own legacy gift.
Additional information about Dr. Mujumdar’s life and career can be found at the Northeastern and ASCE websites.
