A common thread throughout my research is risk modeling, where I develop models to support decision-making under uncertainty. My work integrates data analysis and expert judgment, often applied in the design and maintenance of complex sociotechnical systems. I collaborate across disciplines and industries to create decision-support tools that enhance operational efficiency, resilience, and sustainability.

My research spans diverse application areas, including:

• Large-scale manufacturing processes
• Offshore wind farm maintenance
• Search and rescue (SAR) operations supporting Inuit communities

Selected Projects

NNSAR:

Funded by NERC and Canada’s National Research Council (NRC), this project strengthens the whole-of-society SAR system in Nunavut and Nunavik. We focus on capacity building, skills development, and the creation of a decision-support model for SAR planning, infrastructure development, and emergency response.

Productivity and Sustainability Management in the Responsive Factory

This EPSRC-funded initiative leverages real-time manufacturing data to optimize operations, improve efficiency and sustainability, and apply probabilistic networks for decision support. Collaborators include researchers from the Universities of Edinburgh and Napier, as well as the National Manufacturing Institute of Scotland. Further information is available here.  For a full list of the groups publications in the Next Generation Tools for Design and Manufacture, visit our Google Scholar profile

NEXUS

A Horizon 2020 initiative focused on vessel design for offshore windfarm maintenance. This project developed models linking vessel characteristics with windfarm productivity, guiding optimal vessel designs. Partners included academics from Management Science and Naval, Ocean, and Marine Engineering, as well as industry leaders such as Kongsberg, Gondan, Global Marine, DNV, Sintef, and Arttic.

PCAD

An EPSRC-funded project aimed at enhancing engineering design productivity through predictive Computer-Aided Design (CAD). We developed algorithms and statistical methods to support decision-making in engineering design. This is a collaborative project with academics from Design, Manufacturing, and Engineering Management. More details can be found here.

Industry Collaboration

I am committed to industry engagement, having led consultancy and applied research projects with organizations such as:

• Aero-Engine Controls, Rolls-Royce, IrvingGQ, BAE Systems, and the Ministry of Defence (MOD) (defense sector)
• Scottish Power and SSE (energy utilities)
• Scottish Water (KTP), Forth Road Bridge (infrastructure risk assessment)
• Railway Safety and Standards Board (risk of train derailments)

I have also collaborated with the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) on expert judgment elicitation and quantification of uncertainty, and led the COST Working Group on elicitation processes, culminating in the publication of Elicitation: The Science and Art of Structuring Judgement.

Academic & Professional Background

• Associate of the Society of Actuaries
• Chartered Statistician, Royal Statistical Society
• Member, Safety and Reliability Society
• BMath in Actuarial Science, University of Waterloo, Canada
• PhD in Management Science, University of Strathclyde
• Vice Dean (Research), Strathclyde Business School (2021-present)
• Former Head of Department, Management Science (2016-2019)

John provides specialist teaching for a number of programmes at various levels.  These have included teaching Management Science at all levels of undergraduate and postgraduate as well as Executive Education.  John has taught in 10 different international centres across Europe, the Middle East and South East Asia, as well as Executive Education in Canada. 

John is committed to making effective use of technology to support teaching and learning.  He has been involved in managing, developing and teaching on pedagogically successful online and distance courses, as well as investigating the effectiveness of using virtual reality environments to support teaching.