Sissy Nikolaou, PhD, PE, BC.GE, F.ASCE is the Earthquake Engineering Group Leader at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) where she brings 30 years of consulting experience in lifeline systems, critical facilities, and high-rise buildings worldwide. Driven by a desire to protect populations and help them emerge stronger from disasters, Dr. Nikolaou has led reconnaissance after earthquakes and hurricanes. Sissy was the 2025 ASCE-Geo-Institute President, and her recognitions include the Prakash Award for Excellence and the University at Buffalo 2025 Engineer of the Year. Sissy is serving as Project Lead Investigator for the Champlain Towers South partial collapse in Florida under the National Construction Safety Team Act. Her innovative spirit is reflected in decision-support frameworks for resilient infrastructure integrating investment optimizations with considerations for Functional Recovery, a collective team work to be recognized with the highest honor of the US Department of Commerce, the 2025 Gold Medal.