RISER - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor
- Associate Professor in the Department of Infrastructure Engineering
Allison Kealy is an Associate Professor in the Department of Infrastructure Engineering at the University of Melbourne. Allison's research centers on Global Navigation Satellite Systems, sensor fusion and wireless sensor networks, with application to disaster management and including extensive industry and government collaboration. Allison brings expertise in designing and deploying sensor networks, spatial data capture, and sensor fusion under uncertainty.
Job Titles:
- First Victoria 's Emergency Management Commissioner
Craig Lapsely is the first Victoria's Emergency Management Commissioner. Craig's role has overall responsibility for coordination before, during and after major emergencies including management of consequences of an emergency. Craig brings nearly 30 years' experience in the emergency management sector.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Research Scientist at IBM Australia
Andrew Rawlinson is a Research Scientist at IBM Australia. Andrew's research focuses on mathematical modeling, computational and theoretical physics, and implementation of supercomputing and distributed systems, with applications to medicine, ecology, and disaster management. Andrew brings experience in the development of resilient solutions for emergency management and distributed computing.
Azadeh Mousavi completed her PhD in the Department of Infrastructure Engineering at the University of Melbourne. She was a PhD student intern at IBM Research Australia. Azadeh's PhD is on event detection in spatiotemporal sensor data using PGMs (probabilistic graphical models). For the RISER project, Azadeh is working on the MoistuRISER sub-project, using the sensed data to monitor fuel moisture. Before starting her PhD, Azadeh worked in governmental and private organizations in Iran as GIS analyst.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Professor
- Research Scientist at IBM Australia
Christian Vecchiola is a Research Scientist at IBM Australia, and Honorary Research Fellow in the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering at the University of Melbourne. Christian's research is concentrated on designing software systems, particularly multi-agent, distributed, complex, and dynamic systems, with applications to emergency management.
Job Titles:
- Associate Director of the IBM Research Australia
- Professor
Dr. Juerg von Kaenel is the associate director of the IBM Research Australia lab in Melbourne. Juerg's background includes mathematical modelling and computer science to address practical problems such as disaster resilience. Juerg brings a wealth of experience in developing research and software solutions for a smarter planet.
Peter was an IBM Research Intern and a PhD student at the University of Melbourne, supervised by Prof Bill Moran. Peter has been central to helping build and deploy RISERnet, having developed much of the code for the sensor network. Peter is now a post-doc of RISER leading the research of several subprojects, including RISERnet, MoistuRISER, Stream processing, and Firefront tracking.
Sarah Harris is a Research Fellow in the School of Geography and Environmental Science at Monash University. Sarah's research focuses on fire science and climatology, modeling, and remote sensing applications, including collaborative research initiatives with US and Australian government agencies and research institutes. Sarah brings expertise in fire science and the practical experience required to prioritize data and information requirements in bushfire emergencies.
Simon is the director of ThinkSpatial. Simon's team helped the RISER project with the deployment and maintenance of the RISERnet networks, the development of the RISERview interface, and the collection and processing of drone imagery in the UpRISER subproject. The team brought in expertise in field work, GPS navigation, spatial visualization, and remote sensing.
Job Titles:
- Principal Consultant at GHD
Dr Zaffar Sadiq Mohamed-Ghouse is a Principal Consultant at GHD. He has 16 years of experience in client management, business development, project management, consulting studies, design, development and management of spatial databases, review data framework policies, develop spatial analyses techniques and technology including GIS applications development.
Guy Sharon was the Manager of the Model and Information Composition Group at IBM Research Australia. Guy has expertise in the field of active and event-driven technology and was the key IBM contact for the RISER project, as well as a member of the ADMP team.
Job Titles:
- Research Assistant at the University of California
- Research Assistant at the University of California, San Diego
Jessica Block is a research assistant at the University of California, San Diego. Jessica has helped in organizing per-project workshops on Emergency Management for the RISER team both in Melbourne and in San Diego.
Job Titles:
- Strategic Advisor at Emergency Management Victoria
- Strategic Advisor at Emergency Management Victoria, Victoria and Captain
John Schauble is Strategic Advisor at Emergency Management Victoria, Victoria and Captain of the Sassafras-Ferny Creek CFA. John is a key partner organization contact and a member of the RISER Project Management Committee, bringing his expertise as a policy maker and end user of emergency information.
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor
- Associate Professor in the Department of Forest and Ecosystem
Kevin Tolhurst is an Associate Professor in the Department of Forest and Ecosystem Science at The University of Melbourne. Kevin's research focuses on bushfire modeling, fire behavior, and fire suppression strategies, and the development of fire decision support systems. Kevin is a recognized authority on bushfires, and brings world-leading expertise in both bushfire science, and its application in practice and policy.
Job Titles:
- Professor
- Science Director at the CRC SI
Professor Kim Lowell is and Science Director at the CRC SI (Cooperative Research Centre for Spatial Information). In addition to a long history of research in the area of forestry and spatial information science, Kim brings a wealth of expertise in research management, from the CRC and his previous positions, for example as Director for the Centre for Research in Geomatics (CRG) at Laval University. Kim is a member of the RISER Project Management Committee.
Larry Smarr holds the Harry E. Gruber professorship in Computer Science and Engineering, and is Director of the California Institute of Telecommunications and Information Technology at the University of California, San Diego. Larry is a visionary pioneer of Internet computing, and brings unparalleled expertise in role of distributed systems for scientific computing and visualization.
Job Titles:
- Director of Red Bluff Spatial
Mark Garvey is the director of Red Bluff Spatial. Mark worked as a scientist and GIS leader at the Country Fire Authority for 32 years. He was the Chair of the Victorian and Australian emergency management spatial information groups (EMSINA). He brings expertise in GIS and remote sensing for disaster management. He is now leading the UpRISER and SensoRISER subprojects.
Job Titles:
- ARC Future Fellow and Professor
Matt Duckham is an ARC Future Fellow and Professor in the School of Mathematical and Geospatial Sciences at the RMIT University. Matt was a Professor in the Department of Infrastructure Engineering, University of Melbourne before July 2015. Matt brings expertise in spatial computing and spatial visualization, with applications to environmental and emergency geosensor networks.
Bill Moran is a professor in the School of Engineering at the RMIT University. Before joining the RMIT University, he was the Scientific Director of the Defence Science Institute (DSI) at The University of Melbourne. Bill's research includes radar technology, theory and applications, information theory and applications, and sensor networks, including extensive collaboration with US and Australian defense agencies. Bill brings world-leading expertise in the foundations of sensor fusion, communication, and computation in sensor networks.