Systemic Thinking: Fundamentals for Understanding Problems and Messes

Dr. Patrick T. Hester is an Associate Professor of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering at Old Dominion University. He received a Ph.D. in Risk and Reliability Engineering from Vanderbilt University and a B.S. in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from the Webb Institute. Dr. Hester has been involved in research and consulting activities involving systemic thinking, multi-criteria decision analysis, and performance measurement and management for diverse clients, including NASA Langley Research Center, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Sandia National Laboratories, NOAA, TRADOC, and General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company. In 2011, he was the first Assistant Professor ever awarded the Excellence in Research Award in the Batten College of Engineering & Technology. He is a member of the Institute of Industrial Engineers, Performance Management Association, and the International Society on Multiple Criteria Decision Making. His research has been published in Systems Engineering, International Journal of System of Systems Engineering, International Journal of Operations Research, International Journal of Critical Infrastructures, and Journal of Defense Modeling and Simulation, among others.

His research interests are focused on systemic thinking, stakeholder analysis, enterprise performance measurement and management, and multi-criteria decision analysis.

Dr. Kevin MacG. Adams is employed as an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the systems engineering specialization of the graduate program in Information Technology at the University of Maryland University College in Adelphi, MD. He is also an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Management, Business and Economics program at Virginia Wesleyan College in Virginia Beach, VA, USA. He is a retired submarine engineering duty officer having served 25 years in the United States Navy. He is a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), a senior member of the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE), and a Silver member of the United States Naval Institute. He has earned a Bachelor’s degree in Ceramic Engineering from Rutgers University, dual Master’s degrees in Materials Engineering and Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Doctor of Philosophy in systems engineering from Old Dominion University.

His research interests are focused on systemic thinking, systems theory, system of systems engineering and systems engineering.