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 computational modeling innovation.

ODU Profile

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.

Faculty Website

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.

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RESEARCHERS IN TRAINING

Research Assistants and Interns

DANIEL ARISTIZABAL

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Junior Industrial Engineering student at Universidad del Norte in Barranquilla, Colombia, with knowledge in data analysis and machine learning models with Python, and Agent Based Modeling (ABM) with Netlogo. Daniel is interested in ABM and data analysis.

JHON BOTELLO

Graduate Research Assistant

Industrial Engineer and master’s student in the Industrial Engineering Program at Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia. He is working on survey research applying Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling techniques to build and test models.

LIA CASTILLO

Research Assistant

Industrial Engineer at Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia. Lia has been working for the last two and a half years on quali-quantitative data analysis related to the forced migration of Venezuelans in Colombia. Lia is interested in learning multivariate data analysis methods for theory testing.

JAIRO GONZALEZ

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Senior Computer Science student at Universidad del Norte in Barranquilla, Colombia. Jairo has a particular interest in Machine learning and data analytics.

ALEX FRETZ

Research Assistant

Ph.D. in the Graduate Program in International Studies at Old Dominion University. Alex has focused his studies on Power and Interdependence as well as Political Economy. His research focuses on the forums of cyberattacks among great powers and energy politics in the oil and gas industry.

BRIAN LLINAS

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Senior Industrial Engineering student at Universidad del Norte in Barranquilla, Colombia. Brian is enthusiastic about data processing, visualization, and model selection (ML/Statistics). He has been working on developing computational insights about frustration towards migrants in global refugee host communities.

JOSEPH MARTÍNEZ

Graduate Research Assistant

Industrial Engineer graduated with honors from Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia and master’s student in the graduate program in Modeling and Simulation at Old Dominion University (starting Fall 2022). Joseph is interested in the application of computational methods and machine learning models in industrial and social contexts.

GINA PEREZ

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Junior Industrial Engineering student at Universidad del Norte in Barranquilla, Colombia. Gina is interested in data analysis, machine learning and artificial intelligence.

LISS ROMERO

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Senior Industrial Engineering student at Universidad del Norte in Barranquilla, Colombia. Liss has been working for the last two and a half years on qualitative and quantitative data analysis and modeling related to the forced migration of Venezuelans in Colombia. She is interested in expanding her knowledge in multivariate 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.