RESEARCH TEAM
JOSE PADILLA, PH.D.
Storymodelers Lead
VMASC Research Associate Professor, Dr. Padilla is the HDL lead scientist. He has degrees in industrial engineering, business management, and engineering management. From the development of frameworks to the creation of tools, Dr. Padilla explores new avenues for simulation innovation.
ERIKA FRYDENLUND, PH.D
Storymodelers Co-Lead
VMASC Research Assistant Professor, Dr. Frydenlund is the HDL co-lead. She has degrees in mathematics, statistics, and international studies. Her primary research interest in is modeling forced migration-related issues.
ANTHONY BARRACO
Storymodelers Software Engineer
Lead Project Scientist, Anthony Barraco works on developing simulation platforms an applications in diverse areas of research at VMASC. He has a bachelor's degree in computer science. His focus at VMASC has been the development of web-based, cloud-deployed applications, geospatial processing, system dynamics simulation modeling, and M&S interoperability.
VEYSEL YESILBAS
Storymodelers Project Scientist
VMASC Project Scientist, Dr. Yesilbas works on developing social data analytics. He has degrees in electronics engineering, international security strategy management and engineering management. His primary research interest is human factors analysis and safety.
STUDENT RESEARCHERS
Research Assistants and Interns
LIA CASTILLO
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Undergraduate senior student in the Industrial Engineering Program at Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia. Lia is interested in learning how to do scientific research and data analysis.
MACKENZIE CLARK
Graduate Research Assistant
Master's student in the Graduate Program in International Studies at Old Dominion University, Mackenzie is using her Spanish language skills to do a case study of Venezuelan forced migration into Colombia.
MADISON GONZALEZ
Graduate Research Intern
Master's student in the Graduate Program in International Studies at Old Dominion University. Madison is interested in climate change and displacement.
JOSEPH MARTÍNEZ
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Undergraduate senior student in the Industrial Engineering Program at Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia. Joseph is interested in the application of computational methods and machine learning models in industrial contexts.
LISS ROMERO
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Undergraduate junior student in the Industrial Engineering Program at Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia. Liss is interested in learning how to do scientific research and data analysis.
LYDIA SA
Graduate Research Assistant
Lydia is a Doctoral Student in the Graduate Program in International Studies at Old Dominion University and holds a Master of Public Health. She is interested in studying the intersections of health, migration, and absorptive capacity, and their relationship with the epidemiological, political, and social inequities in crisis settings.
AFFILIATE RESEARCHERS
Multidisciplinarity at its Best
ZACHEOUS ABANG
Researcher, School of Government
University of Western Cape, South Africa
MARIOS ANDRIOTIS
Senior External Relations Assistant, The UN Refugee Agency, Greece
JOSHUA BEHR
Research Associate Professor, Virginia Modeling, Analysis & Simulation Center, Old Dominion University, USA
