"Life in the Age of Risk Management," a talk by Kimberly Thompson, associate professor of Risk Analysis and Decision Science at the Harvard School of Public Health, will be held Thursday, Dec. 6 at 5 p.m. in Room G at the UNM Conference Center located at 1634 University Blvd. Science & Society Distinguished Public Talks will host the talk, which is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served beginning at 4:30 p.m.
Thompson's research interests and teaching focus inlcude issues related to developing and applying quantitative methods for risk assessment and risk management, and consideration of public policy implications associated with uncertainty and variability in risk characterization. She is the author of the book, “Risk in Perspective: Insight and Humor in the Age of Risk Management”.
In the talk, Thompson will suggest that we are now in the age of risk assessment, a time in human history where we recognize that life is full of risks, choices often involve tough trade offs, and a good data and risk analysis play a critical role in the decisions we make as individuals and collectively.
Relying on both insight and humor, she will discuss the importance of understanding systems as a requirement for effective management, and the ability to analytically characterize variability, uncertainty, and dynamics as essential skills.
Using a number of real examples ranging from airbags and airplanes, to vaccines and video games, she will demonstrate the significant interactions between engineering and behavior and the critical role of improved risk communication and education for all stakeholders.
The talk is co-sponsored by the Albuquerque Section of the Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineers (IEEE), Sigma Xi (the Scientific Research Society), the Department of Physics & Astronomy, the College of Arts & Sciences, the School of Engineering, the University Honors Program and the Division of Continuing Education.
Media Contact: Steve Carr, (505) 277-1821; e-mail: scarr@unm.edu