Professor Rolando P. Orense has extensive professional experience, both as an educator/researcher and as a practicing engineer/consultant in the field of geotechnical engineering, particularly geotechnical earthquake engineering and ground disaster mitigation engineering.

He received his BSCE (cum laude) and MSCE degrees from the University of the Philippines and a Doctor of Engineering degree from the University of Tokyo (Japan). Before joining the University of Auckland, he also served as an Instructor at the University of the Philippines and as an Associate Professor at the University of Tokyo and Yamaguchi University (Japan). Moreover, while working with top-notch geotechnical consulting firms in Tokyo and Manila, he had worked on a variety of geotechnical engineering projects in Japan, Singapore, and the Philippines.

He is a Registered Professional Engineer in the Philippines and in Oregon (United States). He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Fellow of the Philippine Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (PSSMGE), and Fellow of the Engineering New Zealand (EngNZ).


Distinctions/Honours:

- Geomechanics Lecture, NZ Geotechnical Society (2025)

- JW Ridley Geomechanics Paper Award, NZ Geotechnical Society (2024)

- Elected Fellow, Engineering New Zealand (2024)

- Professorial Chair Lecture Award, Polytechnic University of the Philippines (2021)
- Global Achievement Award in Engineering Education, UP Alumni Engineers (2018)
- Best Paper Award, Asia-Pacific Symposium on Safety (2017)
- Technical Development Award, Japanese Geotechnical Society (2015)
- Best Poster Paper Award, 11th ANZ Conference on Geomechanics (2012)
- Special Award (for Canterbury Earthquakes-related works), University of Auckland (2011)
- IPENZ Fulton Downer Gold Medal Award (active in the response phase of the 2010 and 2011 Canterbury earthquakes) (2011)
- Distinguished Service (Best Teacher) Award, Yamaguchi University (2007)
- Business Plan Award, Japanese Geotechnical Society (2005)
- Engineering Award, Kisojiban Consultants Co. Ltd. (1997)
- Best Research Paper Award, Japanese Geotechnical Society (1997)
- Inducted to the Honour Society of Phi Kappa Phi (based in Baton Rouge, LA, U.S.A.) (1985)


Administrative Responsibilities:

- Member, UoA University Academic Programme Committee (2025- )

- Deputy Head of Department (Academic) (2020-2023; 2025)
- Member, UoA Curriculum Framework Transformation Taskforce (2021)
- Member, Sustainability Working Group (2021)
- Co-lead, QuakeCoRE 2, DT1: Integrated Seismic Hazards (2021-present)
- Deputy Leader, QuakeCoRE Flagship Project 2 (2015-2021)
- Associate Dean Postgraduate (2014-2017)
- Group Leader, Geomechanics Programme (2012-2020)
- Manager, Geomechanics Laboratory (2012-2020)


Committee/Professional Groups/Services:
- Australasian Association for Engineering Education (since 2023)
- Philippine Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (since 2017)
    - Inducted as Fellow (2021)
- International Association for Engineering Geology (since 2009)
- New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering (since 2008)
- New Zealand Geotechnical Society (since 2008)
    - Elected Member of Management Committee (2017 - 2023)
    - ISSMGE New Zealand Representative (2022 - )
- Japan Society of Civil Engineers (since 2000)
- American Society of Civil Engineers (since 2000)
   - Member, Geo-Institute (since 2000)
- International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (since 1996)
- Japanese Geotechnical Society (since 1990)


Editorial Board Membership:

- Frontiers in Built Environment Journal: Geotechnical Engineering (2021 - present)
- Geotechnics (2020 - present)
- Associate Editor, Soil Dynamics & Earthquake Engineering (2020 - 2025)

- Geotechnical Research (2013 - 2023)
- Soils and Foundations (2014-2017)