MATRIS @IIASA for ECE Seminar

On April 8, 2024, the MATRIS Research Group and the Energy, Climate, and Environment (ECE) research program members of IIASA convened for the ECE Seminar at the headquarters of IIASA at Schloss Laxenburg, while approximately 25 members from both parties participated remotely. Throughout the seminar, Dimitris Simos, the head of the MATRIS research group, led a presentation with the support of co-presenters Klaus Kieseberg and Bernhard Garn.

The presentation delved into how the application of combinatorial scenarios can enhance disaster preparedness for both natural and technological hazards, focusing on the Combinatorial Disaster Management (CODOD) Framework of MATRIS. This framework, rooted in methods and structures derived from discrete mathematics, facilitates the automated generation of diverse disaster scenarios. These scenarios collectively adhere to principles of combinatorial sequence coverage, ensuring diversity among them. Consequently, they can be utilized in simulations and the formulation of disaster exercises (e.g., planspiele).

The presentation concluded with a brief overview of the group’s vision for disaster management, which involves collaboration with international bodies and stakeholders. The aim is to achieve multi-sectoral, multi-disciplinary, and multi-level coordination for disaster risk reduction and resilience. Subsequently, a stimulating discussion ensued, encompassing both theoretical and practical aspects of the presentation and the framework. The seminar garnered significant attendance and positive reception from both parties, marking the initial steps towards establishing a promising knowledge network between the two groups.