CrisisEngine: delivering rapid responses to global health emergencies
CrisisEngine is a computational system using real-time data to generate multiple simulations, modelling policy interventions in global health crises.
An agent-based platform, it tests potential responses, enabling rapid mitigation and minimising adverse consequences. CrisisEngine proved itself during a 2020 COVID-19 outbreak in Melbourne, Australia and is now ready for scale-up.
Dr Jason Thompson
Senior Research Fellow
Transport Health and Urban Design Research Laboratory
Melbourne School of Design
The University of Melbourne
- Respond (Decrease transmission & spread), such as: Optimal preventive interventions & uptake maximization, Cutting through “infodemic” & enabling better response, Data-driven learnings for increased efficacy of interventions
The past 12 months have highlighted that in countries where public health decision-making has been poor, compromised, or indecisive, social and public health outcomes have been disastrous.
Implementation of effective policy has been hampered by lack of scientific evidence that is timely and available to decision-makers in a form that can be readily translated into policy and action.
COVID-19 has highlighted a failure of the science/policy interface – with interactions between scientists and decision-makers struggling to keep pace with the urgency, complexity, and dynamism of the crisis at hand.
Decision-makers facing novel, emergent public health threats must respond quickly to support population safety and recovery. Reflective examination of observed outcomes, implementation of trials and systematic reviews through ‘normal’ scientific processes take time and risk delaying the roll-out of effective control measures.
There is currently no universally accessible, authorised, decision-support system informed by transdisciplinary collaboration and community engagement which promotes optimal policy implementation.
Our vision is to inform better decision-making amid unfolding public-health crises by scaling up and delivering an agent-based technology platform that can easily access and integrate big data while synthesising multi-layers of information.
Our solution will provide evidence that keeps pace with the ever-changing world.
CrisisEngine is a platform for civic leaders from local to national levels. These might be senior policy-makers in government public health units, or municipal officers in remote townships.
Its friendly user interface and flexible computing requirements mean that dynamic crisis management options are available to anyone who needs them. Open software and public datasets allow colleagues to share progress, so that no idea is left unexplored or unused.
CrisisEngine directly addresses the needs of decision-makers to be better informed about the likely consequences their actions will have on population health and welfare.
Our team is already collaborating with a range of city-based and international networks and knowledge hubs. We have a close working relationship with health authorities and State Government in Victoria, Australia, arising from the CrisisEngine input into COVID-19 responses.
Success in this area has triggered invitations to consult and collaborate with public health units in other states and overseas.
We are working to expand these connections, which are critical to understanding the unique needs and challenges of potential client agencies.
We are also building a global ‘Challenge Champions’ network , outlined below.
- Growth: An initiative, venture, or organisation with an established product, service, or business/policy model rolled out in one or, ideally, several contexts or communities, which is poised for further growth

Snr Research Fellow
Prof of Urban Transport and Public Health

Director, Connected Cities Lab

Creative Director

Professor
rmcclure@une.edu.au