Last Updated:11 October, 2010

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Principal research interests; computational models of spatiotemporal processes in physical, biological and related systems; statistical modelling applications in the natural and medical sciences.

- see C.V.search Interests

Research Background

The emergence of scientific computing (or computational science) (see e.g. http://www.scientific-computing.com/ as a viable third arm to theory and experiment in scientific investigation, has led to exploitation of common techniques for a range of complex systems. Statistical science, in particular the statistics of spatial and temporal data, is also an area which has generated considerable interest in the applied statistics community over the last ten years. These two perspectives have influenced the majority of the research, which is firmly sited in applications across the natural sciences, particularly in physics, but also in biology and chemistry and interdisciplinary areas, such as biostatistics/epidemiology. This has resulted in a number of journal and other publications, given in part below.

As well as basic research projects, other work has reflected social and industrial questions. Some examples include: (i) modelling of ISDN transmissions; (ii) reliability analysis for manufacturing and related systems; (iii) the mathematical and statistical modelling of transmission dynamics of HIV and its progression to AIDS in Ireland, (joint funding for initial work with Maths. colleagues, reflecting the first attempt to model the disease in Ireland), together with the first publication on Irish survival data in the journal AIDS (1997) and (iv) computational models in manufacturing and transportation.

Much of the basic research investigates correlations in data which are "close" in terms of space and/or time. This provides the foundation for successful modelling of many scientific and other phenomena through computational, statistical and analytical techniques. In particular, spatial and dynamical evolution of complex systems can be explored through computational models, which define basic elements and interactions in detail. Initial interest in the area grew from early work on aspects of spatial statistics, arising in the context of a lattice of locations. Percolation models arise from a consideration of regular lattices of all possible spatial structures, where sites, (or bonds), of the lattice may be supposed connected or not and the medium connected according to a given set of values and their assigned probabilities. Of interest is the spatial dependence and associated statistical behaviour of connected clusters. Time series provide a parallel in time to this type of data set, generated through connectivity or correlation relations.

Dynamic modelling additionally permits the realistic representation of very varied spatial patterns, which evolve through time. Recently, the approach has been widely used to investigate whether dynamical systems exhibit self-organised criticality, (SOC), or natural tuning, where relaxation of the system about the critical state creates spatial and temporal self-similarities, giving rise e.g. to fractal objects and 1/f noise. Small perturbations may then provoke minor or truly catastrophic events, such as avalanches, stock market crashes, forest fires, earthquakes or disease epidemics!

Support for research on these topics has been obtained from a number of sources over the years, including guest research fellowships. Last sabbatical (1996/97) promoted work on self-organised criticality (SOC) in dissipative cellular systems and further investigations on evolution of random two-dimensional cellular structures or "froths", which incorporate additional spatial dependencies. Most recent publications can be found in list below.

Examples - see C.V. Advisor on several in-house patent applications for major company.

See C.V.

See C.V.

Reviewer for papers and Proceedings of VECPAR, (Vector and Parallel Processing), since 1996

Referee for papers to World AIDS Congress, (1998), (2000) and (2002)

Referee for IASTED (International Association of Science and Technology or Development) Applied Simulation and Modelling conference, (2000)

Statistical assessor for Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine (1989) and subsequently.

Proceedings Editor of Scientific Computing in Europe (1996), DCU pilot conference.

Editor of working papers/conf. papers for Integrating Information and Communications Technology into the Curriculum (1998)

Post-Graduate Supervision (in last 10 years)

C. Comiskey (1991)"Mathematical Models for the Transmission Dynamics of HIV and its Progression to AIDS in Ireland." Ph.D.

R. McCabe (1992) auxiliary -"Global Data Flow Analysis of Syntax Tree Intermediate Code" M.Sc.

A. McCarren (1994) "Modelling Piezospectroscopic Data" Ph.D.

J. Walsh (1994) "Reliability Analysis of Offshore Production Systems." M.Sc.

M. Hayes (1994) "Modelling of ISDN Basic Rate Transmission in Voice-grade Telephone Lines." M.Sc.

M. Dunne (1995) "A Modified Mathematical Model for HIV Transmission, AIDS and Intervention Strategies in Ireland." M.Sc.

Y. Feng (1997) "Computer Modelling of Complex Systems with Applications in Physical and Related Areas." Ph.D.

A. A. Hammad (1998) "Cellular Automata Models for Traffic Flow in Urban Networks." Ph.D.

T. Karayiannis (1999) "A Simulation Approach to Modelling Quality and Reliability Features of Plant Processes" M.Sc.

F. Forrestal (1999) "Monthly Passenger Movement Series 1946-1995" M.Sc.

R. Mannion (2000) "Cellular Automata and Monte Carlo Models of HIV Infection." M.Sc.

+ a number of taught Masters dissertation in the School of CA http://www.compapp.dcu.ie

"Computational Aspects of Modelling Froth Networks; Problems, Pictures and Properties." M.Sc.

"Biocomputation; Models for Immunosuppressive Disorders" M.Sc.

"Computational Models of Traffic Flow w.r.t Heterogeneous Units in Urban Geometries." Ph.D.

+ "Computer Aided Learning - Design and Technology." M.Sc.

+ new projects currently being launched in biosystems modelling, (HIV, EBV - seeking funding under national programme for research in third-level institutions as part of National Institute for Cellular Biotechnology bid), and econophysics.

Internal and External Examiner to Ph.D. level in Statistical Modelling and Scientific Computing.

Publications over a period of years in a number of international journals. Refereed abstracts. External technical reports. Grey Literature - Working papers etc. - not included,  General/popular articles - not included.

1. Gaunt D.S., Sykes M.F. and Ruskin H.J (1976), J. Phys. A Math. Gen. 9, 1899
2. Gaunt D.S. and Ruskin H.J. (1978), J. Phys. A Math. Gen. 11, 1369.
3. Duarte J.A.M.S. and Ruskin H.J (1980), Z. Naturforsch 35a, 244.
4. Duarte J.A.M.S. and Ruskin H.J (1981), J. Physique 42, 1585.
5. Duarte J.A.M.S. and Ruskin H.J (1982), Physica IIIA, 423.
6. Thomas B.J., Jarrett R.J., Keen H. and Ruskin H.J (1982), Human Nutrition; Clinical Nutrition 36a, 49.
7. Ruskin H.J and Duarte J.A.M.S. (1982), Phys. Rev. A 26, No. 2, 1791.
8. Duarte J.A.M.S. and Ruskin H.J (1982), Z. Phys. B Condensed Matter 46, 225.
9. Duarte J.A.M.S. and Ruskin H.J (1986), J. Physique 47, 943.
10. Ruskin H.J (1989), J. Chemometrics 3, 529.
11. Kelly M.T., Smyth M.R. and Ruskin H.J (1990), J. Chromatography; Biomedical applications, 528, 277.
12. Ruskin H.J and Cadilhe A. (1991), J. Non-Crystalline Solids, 127, 114.
13. Ruskin H.J (1992), Proc. Royal Irish Academy, 92A, No. 1, 77.
14. Ruskin H.J (1992), Phys. Lett. A, 162, 215.
15. Duarte J.A.M.S., Carvalho J.M. and Ruskin H.J(1992), Physica A 183, 411.
16. Ruskin H.J, Cadilhe A.M.R. and Carvalho J.A.G.S.M. (1992), Phys. Rev. A 46, No.4, 1799.
17. Comiskey C.M. and Ruskin H.J. (1992), CABIOS 8, No. 6, 579.
18. Ruskin H.J (1993), J.Stat. Phys. 73, Nos. ½, 389.
19. McCarren A.L., Ruskin H.J, McGuigan K.G. and Henry M.O. (1994), IEE-Proc.-Sci. Meas. Technol., 141, No. 3, 185.
20. Ruskin H.J and McCarren A.L. (1994), Physica A, 207, 477.
21. Ruskin H.J and Feng Y. (1995), J.Phys. C Condensed Matter, 7, L553 - L559.
22. Ruskin H.J and Feng Y. (1996), Physica A, 230, 455.
23. Ruskin H.J and Feng Y. (1997), Physica A, 245, 453.
24. Dunne M.T., Ruskin H.J and Mulcahy F.M. (1997), AIDS, 11, No. 10, 1281.
25. Ruskin H.J and Feng Y. (1997), Physica A, 247, 153.
26. Hammad A., Ruskin H.J. and O'hEigeartaigh M. (1998) IASTED Intl. Conf. Proceedings on Modelling and Simulation (Ed. Hamza M.H.), p.526
27. Ruskin H.J and Feng Y. (1998),Trends in Statistical Physics, 2, 131-152
28. Ruskin H.J and Duarte J.A.M.S. (1998), Lecture Notes in Computer Science 1573, 623
29. Collins W. J. and Ruskin H.J (1998), Proc. 3rd European Conference on Integrating ICT in the Curriculum, (ITC 98), p. 259 - full paper
30. Sherlock A.-M. and Ruskin H.J(1998) Proc. 3rd European Conference on Integrating ICT in the Curriculum, (ITC 98), p. 577 - full paper
31. Hammad A., Ruskin H.J and O'hEigeartaigh M. (1999) IASTED Intl. Conf. Proceedings on Modelling and Simulation, 577
32. Mannion R., Ruskin H.J and Pandey R.B. (2000), Theor. in Biosciences, 119, 1,10
33. Mannion R., Ruskin H.J and Pandey R. (2000) Theor. in Biosciences, 119, 2, 145.
34. Feng Y. and Ruskin H.J. (2000) J. Stat. Phys. 99, 263
35. Hammad A., Ruskin H.J. and O'hEigeartaigh M. (2000) IMACS- CD-Rom 16th IMACS Proc. ISBN 3-9522075-1-9
36. Pandey R.B., Mannion R. and Ruskin H.J(2000) Physica A, 283, 447
37. Ruskin H.J. and Feng Y. (2000) VECPAR 2000 Conf. Proceedings, Part II, p. 455
38. Ruskin H.J., Feng Y. and Zhu B. (2001) Physica A, 293, 315

Ruskin H.J and Duarte J.A.M.S. (1998), Lecture Notes in Computer Science 1573, 623

Teaching and general articles are asterisked. Articles for general/popular pubs. - not included

i Ruskin H.J and Cherry R. (1977), United States Office of Naval Research Report ONRL c-17-77 - full paper *

ii Fuller J.H., Ruskin H.J., Jarrett R.J. and Keen H. (1975), Clin. Sci. Mol. Med., 55, 13P.

iii Fuller J.H. and Ruskin H.J. (1980), Clin Sci. 59, 29P.

iv Keen H., Ruskin H.J, Jarrett R.J. Sept. (1981) Diabetologia.

v Ruskin H.J, Cadilhe A.M.R. and Carvalho J.A.G.S.M. (1990), Proc. Fisica ’90, Portugal.

vi Ruskin H.J and Cadilhe A.M.R. (1992). Proc. Fisica ’92, Portugal.

vii McCarren A.L. and Ruskin H.J (1994) Proc. Fisica ’94, Portugal.

viii Feng Y. and Ruskin H.J (1996) Abs. of 5^th Intl. Conf. On Numerical Grid Generation in Computational Fluid Dynamics and Related Fields, Miss., U.S.A.

ix Feng Y. and Ruskin H.J (1996) Proc. SCE96, Scientific Computing in Europe, Dublin, Ireland.

x Hammad A., O’hEigeartaigh M. and Ruskin H.J (1997), Abs. 15^th IMACS World Congress, Berlin, Germany.

xi Collins W. J. and Ruskin H.J (1998), Proc. 3rd European Conference on Integrating ICT in the Curriculum, (ITC 98), p. 259 - full paper*

xii Sherlock A.-M. and Ruskin H.J. (1998) Proc. 3rd European Conference on Integrating ICT in the Curriculum, (ITC 98), p. 577 - full paper*

xiii Forrestal F., Keogh G. and  Ruskin H.J. CASI (Conference for Applied Statistics in Ireland), (1999) May 20th-23rd, Athlone, Ireland

xiv Mannion R., Ruskin H.J. and Pandey R. (1999) Interdiscip. Conf. On Theory in Immunology, Bielefeld, Germany, Oct. 16th-19th 1999

xv Mannion R., Ruskin H.J. and Pandey R.B. (2000) Abs. American Physical Society meeting, Minneapolis, USA.

xvi Ruskin H.J. and Feng Y. (2000) VECPAR 2000 Conf. Proceedings, Part II, p. 455 - full paper

xvii Hammad A., Ruskin H.J., O'hEigeartaigh M. (2000) IMACS 16th World Congress Abstracts, p. 509

xviii Pandey R.B., Ruskin H.J. and Mannion R. (2001) American Physical Society meeting, Seattle, Washington, USA.

xix Wang R. and Ruskin H.J . (2001) Europhys. Conf. on Computational Physics, Aachen, Germany

Collaborative work on transmission dynamics for statistics of and survival with HIV - AIDS in Ireland.

1. Comiskey C.M., Ruskin H.J. and Wood A. June (1992) Report for the AIDS Fund, Ireland on "Mathematical Models for the Transmission dynamics of HIV in Ireland."
2. Comiskey C.M., Ruskin H.J. and Wood A. Sept. (1992) Report for the Soc. of Act., Ireland on "Mathematical Models for the Transmission Dynamics of HIV in Ireland." - update.
3. Dunne M.T., Ruskin H.J and Wood A. March (1993) Report for AIDS Resource Centre, Dublin on "Retrospective Study of persons attending IVDU clinics."
4. Dunne M.T., Ruskin H.J and Wood A. March (1994), revised Spring (1995) Report for AIDS Clinic, St. James’ Hospital, Dublin on "Survival with the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome for Patients of St. James’ Hosp., Dublin"
5. Dunne M.T., Ruskin H.J and Wood A. and Merry J. Jan.(1995) Report for D.T.C./ Ana Liffey D.P. on "HIV Transmission Survey of Clients of the Drug Treatment Centre and Ana Liffey Drug Project."

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