ISTPP has named five new members to its Fellows program—Dr. Robin Murphy, Dr. Raul Medina, Dr. Kirby Goidel, Dr. Anthony Knap, and Dr. Patrick Bixler.
Dr. Robin R. Murphy is the Raytheon Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at Texas A&M University and a Director of the Center for Robot-Assisted Search and Rescue. She has deployed ground, aerial, and marine robots to over twenty-nine disasters in five countries, including the 9/11 World Trade Center, Fukushima, and Hurricane Harvey. Dr. Murphy conducts research in artificial intelligence, robotics, and human-robot interaction for emergency management.
Dr. Raul Medina is a Professor in the Department of Entomology in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University. Dr. Medina’s research interests center on the role that ecological factors play in the population genetics of insects. He is particularly interested in the incorporation of evolutionary ecology considerations into pest control practices. His laboratory conducts research aimed to understand how species interactions among parasites and their hosts get modulated by their microbiota and by the structuring of their genetic variation. Dr. Medina is also interested in understanding the factors that modulate public perception of novel products of biotechnology.
Dr. Kirby Goidel is a Professor in the Department of Political Science at Texas A&M University. His research is motivated by questions of democratic governance, including whether citizens are up to the task of self-governance, the willingness and ability of elites to manipulate public opinion, and the institutional mechanisms that translate democratic inputs into policy outcomes. Dr. Goidel has also studied the concerns, risk perceptions, and policy preferences of residents living in communities located along the Gulf of Mexico.
Dr. Anthony Knap is a Professor and the James R. Whatley Chair in Geosciences in the Department of Oceanography in the College of Geosciences at Texas A&M University. He is also the Director of the Geochemical & Environmental Research Group (GERG). Dr. Knap’s research areas include oceanography, environmental science, effects of contaminants on the marine environment, ocean health and human health interactions, and multiple aspects of global environmental change.
Dr. R. Patrick Bixler is an Assistant Professor in the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Bixler has a joint appointment in the community and regional planning program in the School of Architecture. His current research focuses on climate and environmental governance, urban sustainability and resilience, hazard preparedness and response, and network science. He is particularly interested in how public, private, and nonprofit institutions collaborate to solve complex social and environmental problems and promote social innovation.
