Fixed parameter tractability of crossing minimization of almost-trees

We investigate exact crossing minimization for graphs that differ from trees by a small number of additional edges, for several variants of the crossing minimization problem. In particular, we provide fixed parameter tractable algorithms for the 1-page book crossing number, the 2-page book crossing number, and the minimum number of crossed edges in 1-page and 2-page book drawings.Comment: Graph Drawing 201

Using social networks to understand and overcome implementation barriers in the global HIV response

Background: Despite the development of several efficacious HIV prevention and treatment methods in the past 2 decades, HIV continues to spread globally. Uptake of interventions is nonrandomly distributed across populations. Such inequality is socially patterned and reinforced by homophily arising from both social selection (becoming friends with similar people) and influence (becoming similar to friends). Methods: We conducted a narrative review to describe how social network analysis methods—including egocentric, sociocentric, and respondent-driven sampling designs—provide tools to measure key populations, to understand how epidemics spread, and to evaluate intervention take-up. Results: Social network analysis–informed designs can improve intervention effectiveness by reaching otherwise inaccessible populations. They can also improve intervention efficiency by maximizing spillovers, through social ties, to at-risk but susceptible individuals. Social network analysis–informed designs thus have the potential to be both more effective and less unequal in their effects, compared with social network analysis–naïve approaches. Although social network analysis-informed designs are often resource-intensive, we believe they provide unique insights that can help reach those most in need of HIV prevention and treatment interventions. Conclusion: Increased collection of social network data during both research and implementation work would provide important information to improve the roll-out of existing studies in the present and to inform the design of more data-efficient, social network analysis–informed interventions in the future. Doing so will improve the reach of interventions, especially to key populations, and to maximize intervention impact once delivered

High Reliability Collaborations: Theorizing Interorganizational Reliability as Constituted through Translation

High reliability organizations (HROs) need to collaborate to address risks that transcend organizational boundaries. HRO literature has yet to examine the challenge of creating interorganizational reliability, while collaboration literature can further explore how stakeholder priorities become dominant in collaborations. This study joins these bodies of literature to identify the growing domain of High Reliability Collaborations (HRCs). Drawing from 2 years of ethnographic research within a community emergency collaboration, the study theorizes that communicative translations constitute HRCs and serve to make sense of HROs and non-HROs as belonging to a shared collaborative framework. These translations are necessary to create reliability but also establish a negotiated order among collaborative stakeholders. This study finds that containing and controlling stakeholders can be an incentive to collaborate and that collaborative decision-making is influenced by stakeholder claims to urgency

Collaboration between first responders : a look into the dynamics of small-scale emergency response operations

Doctoral thesis (PhD) – Nord University, 2021publishedVersio

The role of joint training in inter-organizational collaboration in emergency management

Doctoral thesis (PhD) – Nord University, 2021publishedVersio

Preparation for the Novel Crisis: A Curriculum and Pedagogy for Emergent Crisis Leadership

The context for this study is the convergence of global trends and risks, especially environmental and social changes, with the interconnectedness of the modern world leading to new, larger-scale, and unforeseeable crises. This convergence has the potential for a shift from what the author describes as the current resilience paradigm to a new crisis paradigm, labelled the novel crisis. The proportion of the global critical infrastructure that is in private or non-state ownership exacerbates the challenges for crisis management systems and leadership. It means that a wider range of stakeholders will be involved, testing the skills and knowledge of the individuals confronting crises. This coincides with the changes to the nature and provision of Higher Education that are happening already or expected in the future and with changes to employment patterns and student profiles. A case study analyses the immediate impact Hurricane Katrina had on New Orleans in 2005 as an exemplar of the novel crisis. Secondary data are used to explore the organisational response of the authorities and the initiatives and leadership networks that emerged to respond to that catastrophe. There is still a need to improve and invest in conventional crisis management structures but the key to confronting future novel crises will be with the temporary networks that emerge of those with specialist knowledge, connections, or proximity to the event. An appropriate crisis leadership curriculum and pedagogy is developed from the literature and evidence from the case study to meet their needs

Homeland Security Affairs Journal, Volume 13 / 2017 UAPI Summit Special Issue

The University and Agency Partnership Initiative (UAPI) is a cornerstone element of the CHDS mission of serving as “the Nation’s Homeland Security Educator.” Its mission: facilitate educational collaboration among institutions and agencies to support development of academic programs that enable a professional workforce and promote critical thinking in homeland security. The Initiative’s primary outcome is a sustainable network of university partners delivering the highest quality academic experience for students in homeland security and related elds. Leveraging CHDS materials and expertise, UAPI provides support to partners launching homeland security programs, helps prevent redundancy in curriculum development, and encourages partners to improve and add to the curricula that already exists. In addition, UAPI organizes national and regional events that enable cross-institutional information exchange and encourage practitioner engagement with the broad capabilities of academia. The 10th Anniversary Homeland Defense & Security Education Summit, held in March 2017 in partnership with the DHS Office of Policy and hosted by George Mason University, is the premier example of UAPI’s effort to connect people and ideas. The outstanding papers that comprise this special issue of Homeland Security Affairs represent a sample of the depth and purpose of research across the Homeland Security enterprise.Sponsored by the U. S. Department of Homeland Security’s National Preparedness Directorate, FEMA, CHDS is part of the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS)