Microsimulation & Risk Modelling Group
About
The Microsimulation & Risk Modelling group at the University of Wollongong is developing novel techniques and tools for analysing risks affecting society and the adequacy of their control, both speculatively and post-mortem.
The project began in 2007 with the aim of investigating discrete computer simulation of disease epidemics in contrast to the traditional methods of statistical analysis as well as other high consequence threats to society.
As of 2014, it comprises a number of research efforts.
Software Research and Development
- Simulacron
- Simulacron is our microsimulation framework; it abstracts away the common functionality used in our simulations to allow for more efficient construction of new models. Rather than a fixed set of capabilities, simulation functionality is implemented in modules. A number of related tools also fall under the umbrella of this project.
- Simulation Modules
- A number of simulation modules have been developed that give simulations functionality such as people movement, infection spread and the spread of influence between people.
- Jazz Visualisation Framework
- Jazz is our visualisation package. Presently at the prototype stage, it will be a flexible, extensible framework for building data visualisation and processing tools.
Researchers
Below are the researchers associated with this project.
Dr. Anthony (Tony) Green has over 35 years experience as a specialist in catastrophic risk associated with Fire, Explosion and Terrorism alongside all natural and civil disasters and industrial failure events. His working career commenced in the United Kingdom in the HSE Buxton Explosion facility following a doctorate in chemistry at the University of Edinburgh. A decision to move to a wider applied science field led to an appointment to the forerunner of the WorkCover Authority of NSW, Australia and from this point his research and practice became holistic and grounded in industry: a challenging breath of research, policy and investigation work into catastrophic risks associated with industry and government. Tony together with Ian Piper has been the driving force in the developement and demonstration of the use of microsimulation for the study of catastrophic risks to society.
Dr. Ian Piper has been involved in research in the area of simulation for over 35 years with initial interests in mine ventilation and underground explosions. He has worked at the University of Wollongong for most of this period, with a four-year break in which he was R&D manager and director of FreeNet Corp. His other research areas include visualisation and the Specification of large software systems.
Senior Research Associate, Terrorism Research Center (Washington DC).
Christopher Flaherty has a Ph.D. in Economic Relations from the University of Melbourne with a focus on networking. Following this, he pursued a career in defence and security research in the Australian Department of Defence. Christopher has been based in London since 2008. A Senior Research Associate of the Terrorism Research Center (TRC), he regularly contributes to its' current publications. He is also the co-primary author of Body Cavity Bombers: The New Martyrs (iUniverse, 2013). Two essays of his from 2003 and 2010 were reprinted in the TRC book - Fifth Dimensional Operations (iUniverse, 2014). He is the author of Australian Manoeuvrist Strategy (Seaview Press, 1996). Christopher has been an active contributor on security, terrorism early warning, and related international intelligence issues, including tactics, techniques and procedures analysis, published in the TRC report 'Dangerous Minds' (2012). He has a long-term involvement in the microsimulation and risk modelling group.
Daniel Keep is a PhD candidate at the University of Wollongong. He earned his first class honours degree in Computer Science designing and building the Simulacron framework and its first components. He also has a bachelors degree in Mathematics.