Dr. Kemper Lewis
webpage: http://www.mae.buffalo.edu/people/faculty/lewis/
Research Interests:
Reconfigurable systems design; Multiobjective decision making; Tradeoff modeling and visualization; Game theory; Decision making under uncertainty; Extreme event visualization and simulation
Summary of Recent Relevant Research:
Dr. Lewis’ current work focuses on the design of reconfigurable systems and infrastructures that are able to perform optimally in a wide range of operating conditions, often encountered in extreme event planning and response. Fundamental research includes theoretical developments on reconfigurable systems, control algorithms to ensure stable system reconfiguration, optimization methods for multiobjective decision tradeoffs, and modeling and simulation of decentralized decision processes under uncertainty. His work with NYSCEDII includes investigating how extreme event preparedness as well as mitigation and response would be better enabled and facilitated through use of simulation, immersive environments, and web-based systems. NYSCEDII’s expertise in developing web-based collaboration, simulation, and visualization infrastructures enables decision support both before (e.g. facility design, evacuation planning, reconfigurable systems design) and after (e.g., damage visualization, distributed decision support) extreme events. NYSCEDII’s research in coupling complex system simulation with visualization and human-computer interfaces (HCI) supports the development of interactive training simulations for first responders and the assessment of extreme events. Previous applications have included the simulation and visualization of volcanic eruptions/flows and critical infrastructures within hospitals.
Left: Formalizing tradeoffs for alternative reconfigurable system options; Right: Web-based visualization, simulation, and decision support for volcanic regions
