Who We Are: SNL Phoenix Core Group
A core group of Sandia National Laboratories scientists and engineers started investigating complex systems literature across many domains in 2003 and initiated complex adaptive systems analyses the following year. This group began formally developing the theoretical bases of the CASoS Engineering Initiative in 2006. Some early adopters have moved on to carry the conceptual seeds into the larger Sandia population, to other disciplines and program areas. Others have joined the initiative bringing new perspectives and skill sets to continue the evolution of this problem definition and solution design process. Teams form and reform in response to project characteristics.
Robert J. Glass is a Senior Scientist at Sandia National Laboratories in Systems Research, Analysis, & Applications. He directs the Complex Adaptive Systems of Systems (CASoS) Engineering Initiative. Dr. Glass has degrees from Haverford College (BS, Ecology) and Cornell University (MS and PhD, Agricultural and Biological Engineering). He worked for many years in the general field of Subsurface Science where his discoveries of phenomena and creation of new modeling approaches influenced problems ranging from water and contaminant transport in fractured rock (e.g., Yucca Mountain, Nevada) to the remediation of aquifers contaminated with Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids (DNAPL such as TEC and PCE). Joining the National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center (NISAC, a joint program between Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories for the Department of Homeland Security) in 2004, Dr. Glass has grown a research team that focuses on the analysis and control of CASoS as embodied by many critical infrastructures and socio-economic-technical systems. Short CV, Long CV; Email; Bob's web page
Theresa Brown is a Distinguished Member of Technical Staff at Sandia National Laboratories and the Science Advisor for the National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center (NISAC) work at Sandia. Her technical expertise is in conceptual model development and decision-making under uncertainty using vulnerability and risk analyses and probabilistic performance assessments. While at Sandia, this expertise has been applied to infrastructure interdependencies vulnerability assessment, probabilistic performance assessments of radioactive waste disposal sites for the Department of Energy, risk assessment methodology development and analyses for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Short CV; Email; Theresa's web page
Arlo Ames is a Distinguished Member of Technical Staff in Analytics and Cryptography at Sandia National Laboratories. He has specialized in control systems theory, optimization, and computer-aided engineering, and currently focuses on devising an approach to creating engineered changes to complex adaptive dynamical systems of systems, critical infrastructure modeling, and verification and validation of human, social, cultural and behavioral models. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from Brigham Young University, where he emphasized control systems theory, optimization, and computer-aided engineering. Resume; Email
George Backus does systems research, development and analysis in Discrete Mathematics and Complex Systems at Sandia National Laboratories. CV and bio coming soon. Email
George Barr is an Emeritus Member of Technical Staff in Systems Research, Analysis, & Applications at Sandia National Laboratories. Resume coming soon. Email
Mike Bernard does research, development and analysis in Cognitive Modeling at Sandia National Laboratories. CV and bio coming soon. Email
Walt Beyeler is a Principal Member of Technical Staff in Policy and Decision Analytics at Sandia National Laboratories. His work has evolved from developing models of groundwater flow and transport for the US Geological Survey, to using those models to assess performance of radioactive waste disposal systems, to developing models of transport processes for use in decision-making. These applications presented the common challenge of evaluating decisions in the face of large uncertainty about system behavior and parameters. His most recent work is in developing models of complex systems for use in understanding their failure modes and designing control and mitigation strategies. Focus areas include banking and finance, agricultural supply networks, and energy production and distribution. Resume coming soon; Email
Nancy Brodsky is a Distinguished Member of Technical Staff in Resilience and Regulatory Effects at Sandia National Laboratories. She currently leads the Tobacco Control Project which is developing a modeling framework for analysis of the potential impacts of possible policy decisions. Most recently, she served as the lead for the Sandia NISAC Fast Analysis and Simulation team, responding to information requests from DHS and DOE pertaining to immediate potential threats to infrastructure and population. Her background is in the physical sciences, geophysics and rock mechanics, and she has and extensive experience in both performing and supervising technical work in regulatory environments such as the Yucca Mountain and Waste Isolation Pilot Plant projects. Resume; Short CV; Email; Nancy's web page
Richard Colbaugh received a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University in 1986. He presently holds a joint appointment with Sandia National Laboratories, where he is a member of the Analysis and Cryptography Department, and the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, where he is a Professor of both Mechanical Engineering and Management. His research activities focus on modeling, analyzing, predicting, and influencing the evolution of dynamical systems of importance in nature and society. Much of this work involves the study of large, complex networks, including those of relevance to national security, the social sciences, advanced technology, and biology. Dr. Colbaugh recently spent three years in Washington, DC advising senior leaders in the Intelligence Community on counterterrorism and counterproliferation efforts. Email
Steve Conrad manages the Resilience and Regulatory Effects department at Sandia National Laboratories. He develops computer simulation tools to analyze the consequences of disruptive events on the nation's critical infrastructures. Currently, Steve is the project lead to develop a risk assessment approach for protecting food supply chains against deliberate contamination by a malevolent adversary. He has developed models of security dynamics related to the insider threat and is currently collaborating with analysts at Argonne National Lab to develop a model for TSA related to improving their airport security checkpoint operations. Short Bio; Email
Curtis Cooper is a Senior Member of Technical Staff in Systems Research, Analysis, and Applications at Sandia National Laboratories. He received a B. A. in Physics from Cornell University in 1999 and a Ph. D. in Planetary Science from the University of Arizona in 2006. Although his academic background is in astrophysics, over the past five years he has focused more on computer science and software engineering. He helps develop and maintain several CASoS codes and leads the common-utilities initiative. His primary research interests are in network theory, graph algorithms, measuring complexity in complex adaptive systems, and modeling systems with intelligent agents. Email
Tom Corbet is a Principal Member of Technical Staff in Policy and Decision Analytics at Sandia National Laboratories. Resume coming soon; Email
Mark Ehlen is a member of technical staff in Infrastructure and Economic Systems Analysis at Sandia National Laboratories and Chief Economist of the National Infrastructure Simulation & Analysis Center (NISAC) at Sandia. He is primary architect of the NISAC Agent-Based Laboratorie for Economics™ (N-ABLE™), a large-scale economic complex adaptive system suite developed at Sandia. Mark has expertise in theoretical mesoeconomics and application of these theories. Resume coming soon; Email
Patrick Finley is a Principal Member of Technical Staff at Sandia National Laboratories in Computer Science Research and Development. In the commercial software arena, he has developed large engineering analysis systems currently used by a variety of Fortune 500 firms and government agencies. At Sandia, he designs and codes complex adaptive system models, develops experimental design protocols, integrates High Performance Computing (HPC) resources, and has developed innovative approaches to uncertainty quantification. Resume coming soon; Email
Kristen Glass does research, development and analysis in Cyber Research and Education at Sandia National Laboratories. Resume and bio coming soon; Email
Paul Kaplan is a Senior Member of Technical Staff in Policy and Decision Analytics at Sandia National Laboratories. Resume coming soon; Email
Stephen Kleban manages the Systems Research, Analysis, and Applications department at Sandia National Laboratories. As a computer scientist, he has published in a number of areas including complex systems and analysis, optimization, knowledge-based reasoning systems, collaborative systems, computer security, and distributed computer architectures. Currently, the Systems Research department he manages addresses complex adaptive systems problems from data management through the end state of an analysis product. Through involvement with the National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center (NISAC), his staff has performed modeling and analysis of numerous complex adaptive systems resulting in national level impact. Some of his staff are also involved in rapid analysis activities for the Department of Homeland Security that contribute to national level decisions. CV coming soon; Email
Craig Lawton does research, development and analysis in System Readiness and Sustainment Technologies at Sandia National Laboratories. Resume and bio coming soon. Email
Louise Maffitt is a senior research associate in the Institute for Engineering Research and Application at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology working full time with Sandia National Laboratories' decision support, risk analysis, and infrastructure simulation and analysis teams since 1994. She provides constructive review, technical writing, and conceptual design for information architecture and graphical representation. Resume; Email; Louise's web page
Michael Mitchell is a programming and analysis specialist in Systems Research, Analysis, and Applications at Sandia National Laboratories. Resume coming soon; Email
Roger Mitchell is a Member of Technical Staff in Systems Research, Analysis, and Applications at Sandia National Laboratories. Resume; Email
Thomas Moore is a Senior Member of Technical Staff in Systems Research, Analysis, and Applications at Sandia National Laboratories specializing in complexity theory and agent-based modeling of social networks. Resume; Email
Alexander (Sasha) Outkin is a Principal member of Technical Staff in Resilience and Regulatory Effects at Sandia National Laboratories. He has more than 10 years of experience in economic and financial modeling and project leadership that includes original work in such areas as agent-based and microstructure modeling of financial markets, network and game-theoretic modeling, as well as economic and financial impacts modeling for NISAC while at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Sasha graduated from Moscow State University with an M.S. in theoretical physics and from Virginia Tech with a Ph.D. in Economics. While studying theoretical physics he developed an interest in complex self-organizing systems that lead to his Ph.D. dissertation addressing the emergence of cooperation in a network of locally interacting agents and expanded game theory in the domain of evolving, non-equilibrium systems. His earlier work in agent-based and microstructure modeling of the NASDAQ stock market and of the individual market-making strategies successfully predicted important market changes ahead of the decimalization implementation. This work became the basis of a book written with Vince Darley on NASDAQ microstructure and agent-based modeling (A NASDAQ Market Simulation: Insights on a Major Market from the Science of Complex Adaptive Systems, World Scientific Publishing. March 2007). CV coming soon; Email
Vince Tidwell is a Distinguished Member of Technical Staff in Earth Systems and Analysis at Sandia National Laboratories. Resume and bio coming soon; Email
Vanessa Vargas is a Member of Technical Staff in Resilience and Regulatory Effects at Sandia National Laboratories. Resume coming soon; Email
Steve Verzi is a Senior Member of Technical Staff in Systems Research, Analysis, and Applications at Sandia National Laboratories specializing in neural networks, machine learning, intelligent systems, cognitive science and algorithm design and analysis. Stephen has also taught Pattern Recognition, Introduction to Information Theory, Software Design and Mathematical Foundations of Computing at the University of New Mexico as an adjunct professor. Resume; Biosketch; Email
Eric Vugrin is a Principal Member of the Technical Staff in the Resilience and Regulatory Effects Department at Sandia National Laboratories. His primary research interest is the development of analytical tools and methods for infrastructure analysis. Most recently, his research has focused on capability development for vulnerability, consequence, and resilience analysis of chemical supply chains, transportation networks, electrical power systems, and other infrastructure networks. These efforts have provided support and guidance to a number of U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Infrastructure Protection, Science and Technology, and Policy programs. Of recent note, his technical expertise was requested for the development of a resilience certification program for commercial buildings. As part of the team that developed the Canary event detection software, Dr. Vugrin received a 2010 R&D 100 Award, recognizing Canary as one of the 100 most technologically significant new products of the year. Previous to his work in the area of infrastructure analysis, he performed risk analyses for complex systems as the technical lead for Total Systems Performance Assessment at Sandia for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, the world’s only certified, operating deep underground repository for nuclear waste. Dr. Vugrin earned his Ph.D. in mathematics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia. His graduate work on optimal control systems inspired his infrastructure resilience research. Resume coming soon; Email
Students
Matthew Antognoli is a graduate student in Computer Science at the University of New Mexico. He is currently a software engineer for the Research and Exchange Dynamics project working on the Exchange Model, a hybrid complex adaptive system (CAS) and system dynamics (SD) model for studying economic exchange processes. Matthew also uses the model to study nation state interaction for the Global Security project. Past work includes contributions to the Population Health Infection model for the Pandemic Influenza project. Email
Taylor Berger is an undergraduate in Computer Science at the University of New Mexico. He is a member of the Systems Research, Analysis and Applications department at Sandia National Laboratories. He currently works with Tom Moore and Pat Finley on the Tobacco Control Policy project as well as the VA Healthcare project, specifically the Varicella Prevention sub-project. Email
Zachary Rowan Copley recently completed his undergraduate degree in Computer Science and Studio Art with a minor in Mathematics at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. He is a member of the Systems Research, Analysis and Applications department at Sandia National Laboratories. He currently works for the Resource and Exchange Dynamics project on the Exchange Model, a hybrid complex adaptive system (CAS) and system dynamics (SD) model for studying economic exchange processes. Email
Leland Brooks Evans is an undergraduate in Computer Science at the University of New Mexico. He is a member of the Systems Research, Analysis, and Applications department at Sandia National Laboratories. His work supports the Pandemic Influenza, Tobacco Control Policy and Corporate Excellence projects and receives funding from the Veterans Health Administration and the Food and Drug Administration. Email
Teresa Chambers is an undergraduate in Computer Science at Houston Community College. She is a member of the Systems Research, Analysis and Applications department at Sandia National Laboratories. Her work contributes to the Retail Payment Systems project and is partially funded by the DHS Scholarship Program. Email
Joe Collard is an undergraduate in Computer Science and Music at the University of New Mexico. He is a member of the Systems Research, Analysis and Applications department at Sandia National Laboratories. His work contributes to the Discrete-Event Population Structure Model (DEPSM) for the Tobacco Control Policy project. In the past he contributed to the Diffusion among Cognitively Complex Agents (DACCA) Tobacco sub-project. Email
Ryan Hammer is a graduate student in Computer Science at the University of New Mexico. He is a member of the Systems Research, Analysis and Applications department at Sandia National Laboratories. His work is in research and development in applying opinion dynamics to model public health issues for the Tobacco Control Policy project. Email
Jacob Hobbs is an undergraduate in Computer Science at the University of New Mexico. He is a member of the Systems Research, Analysis and Applications department at Sandia National Laboratories. His past and current work has been on the Pandemic Influenza model and the Retail Payment Systems, Tobacco Control Policy and Resource and Exchange Dynamics projects. Email
Asad Khan is an undergraduate in Pure Mathematics and Economics at DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. He is a member of the Systems Research, Analysis and Applications department at Sandia National Laboratories. His current work contributes to the Global Financial System project (funded by DHS) and focuses on financial innovation and system risk. Asad is a DHS HS-STEM intern. Email
Marshall Kuypers is a graduate student in Management Science and Engineering at Stanford University. He is a member of the Systems Research, Analysis and Applications department at Sandia National Laboratories. He works for the Resource and Exchange Dynamics project on the Exchange Model, a hybrid complex adaptive system (CAS) and system dynamics (SD) model for studying economic exchange processes. He also works on the Hepatitis C Disease Progression for the Veterans Health Threats project, modeling adherence factors and treatment options for veterans with HCV. Email
Greg Lambert is a graduate student in Statistics at the University of New Mexico. He is a member of the Systems Research, Analysis and Applications department at Sandia National Laboratories. His work in uncertainty/sensitivity analysis for population structure models and time series data structures contributes to the Tobacco Control Policy project. Greg also does statistical social network analysis and meta-analysis research for Veterans Affairs models, contributing to the VA Healthcare project. Email
Sarah Parro is an undergraduate in Professional Writing at the University of New Mexico. She is a member of the Systems Research, Analysis and Applications department at Sandia National Laboratories. Sarah does editorial and organizational work for the department through revisions, draft composition, and the reference organizing software EndNote. Email
Aaron Perlmutter supports work in Systems Research, Analysis, and Applications at Sandia National Laboratories. Email
Braeton James Smith is a graduate student in Economics at Oregon State University. He is a member of the Infrastructure and Economic Systems Analysis department at Sandia National Laboratories. Email
Sharon Sullivan is an undergraduate in Applied Mathematics at the University of New Mexico. She is a member of the Systems Research, Analysis and Applications department at Sandia National Laboratories. She has worked with the Visualization Environment for Globally Adaptive Systems (VEGAS) project and currently contributes to the Pandemic Influenza project and the Climate Security Impacts project. Email
Craig Vineyard is a graduate student in Computer Engineering at the University of New Mexico. He is a member of the Cognitive Modeling department at Sandia National Laboratories. Craig’s work contributes to the Tobacco Control Policy project, both in the Diffusion among Cognitively Complex Agents (DACCA) and Discrete-Event Population Structure Model (DEPSM) sub-projects. Email
Ashley Wagner recently completed her undergraduate degree in Economics at the University of New Mexico. She is a member of the Systems Research, Analysis and Applications department at Sandia National Laboratories. Her work has contributed to the Global Financial Systems, Tobacco Control Policy, and Visualization Environment for Globally Adaptive Systems (VEGAS) projects. Email
Chrysm Watson Ross is a graduate student in Computer Science at the University of New Mexico. She is a member of the Systems Research, Analysis and Applications department at Sandia National Laboratories. Her work has contributed to the Tobacco Control Policy project, the Livestock Transfer Risks project and Phoenix Repository maintenance. She received her position at Sandia through UNM’s National Security Scholars program. Email
Emeritus
Rich Detry is a member of technical staff in Computer Software Research and Development Department at Sandia National Laboratories. He has over 20 years of computer science and software development experience in diverse domains including signal processing, collaborative systems, computer security, distributed computing, expert systems, and modeling and simulation. Resume coming soon; Email
John M. Linebarger is member of technical staff in Telemetry and Data Systems at Sandia National Laboratories. He has 30 years of experience in the areas of distributed systems, collaborative virtual environments, semantic technologies, cognitive systems, complex systems, and modeling and simulation. His degrees include an MBA from New York University, an MS in Computer Science from the University of New Mexico, and a PhD in Computer Science from Lehigh University. Dr. Linebarger is a member of IEEE and the ACM. CV; Email
P. Sue Downes
Tu-Tach Quach
Geoffrey E. Reedy
Eric D. Russell
Shirley J. Starks
Daniel J. Sunderland
Aldo A. Zagonel
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