

The inaugural webinar of the SENTRY Soft Target Security Series, hosted on November 6, 2024, spotlighted the research advancements in Layered Security Architectural Design and Simulation, one of SENTRY’s four core research areas. This event brought together experts in architecture, engineering, and computational modeling to discuss their innovative approaches for enhancing soft target security.
Presentations from the session are detailed below.
Evidence-Based Security Design for Positive School Environments
Presenter: Michelle Laboy, Northeastern University
Michelle Laboy, the lead for SENTRY’s Layered Architectural Security Design and Simulation research area, introduced examples of evidence-based visual design guidelines that promote security and a positive school climate in her presentation. With expertise in socio-ecological design, she highlighted the importance of integrating passive safety measures into architectural planning to create resilient and secure environments. She emphasized the importance of evidence-based guidelines tailored to specific contexts, supported by insights from literature reviews, expert interviews, and building typologies.
Impact of Architectural Design on Emergency Behavior and Response During Active Shooter Incidents
Presenter: Dr. Burçin Becerik-Gerber, University of Southern California
Dr. Becerik-Gerber shared her research on how architectural design influences crowd behavior during emergencies. By integrating behavioral models into simulations, her team is creating tools to evaluate and optimize building design strategies for emergency preparedness.
Dynamic Digital Twins for Secure and Smart Civic Space
Presenters: Dr. Jie Gong, Rutgers University
This session highlighted the role of dynamic digital twins—virtual replicas of engineering systems—in addressing security challenges. The research focuses on overcoming barriers in scalability and interoperability to enhance crisis management.
Real-Time Crowd and Attacker Forecasting for Risk Assessment and Threat Mitigation
Presenters: Dr. Peter Jin, Rutgers University
This presentation demonstrated how minor architectural adjustments can significantly influence crowd behavior in emergencies. Dr. Jin discussed his work developing real-time algorithms to forecast crowd dynamics and mitigate risks.
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