Abstract In the context of our growing population, new paradigms are required for, e.g., the monitoring and management of infrastructure and buildings and the use of the subsurface and its resources. Increasing energy demands entail continuous improvement of imaging techniques to better understand subsurface resources and to maximize production in an environmentally safe manner. Climate change, in combination with rapid population growth, puts increasing pressure on freshwater resources, groundwater systems, and urban living environments. Many subdisciplines and areas within geophysics, including engineering geophysics, are increasingly involved in tackling these global challenges.