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Michael J. Armstrong

Associate professor of operations research, Brock University

I work in the field of operations research. This specialty uses mathematical models to analyze and improve the performance of systems in business and the public sector. My current research involves models of military combat. These models can help us understand issues in international security studies and in military history. I have analyzed missile warfare at sea (e.g., anti-ship cruise missiles), rocket defenses on land (e.g., Israel's Iron Dome), and key battles in history (e.g., Balaclava, Gettysburg, and Coral Sea).

I have also collaborated on research to help university students make better decisions about their studies. We have examined how students respond to feedback about their grades, and how well they perform when repeating courses.

I have been a Fulbright visiting research chair at Norwich University, and a visiting professor at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School.

Most of my research papers are available on Brock University's Digital Repository site.
http://dr.library.brocku.ca/handle/10464/6819

I teach courses in quality improvement, game theory, and operations management. I hold several professional certifications from the American Society for Quality.

Israel seems poised for a massive invasion of Gaza rather than prolonged attrition

Oct 16, 2023 09:12 am UTC| Politics

In the days since the Oct. 7 surprise attack by Hamas, Israel has counted its dead and secured its borders. The country now faces a grim choice. Will it continue trading air strikes and rocket fire with Hamas militants...

Cannabis in Canada: Debunking myths about the real impacts of legalization

Oct 10, 2023 07:39 am UTC| Law

Before Canada legalized recreational cannabis in October 2018, there was considerable debate about its potential effects. Some predicted it would trigger an economic goldrush, while others worried it would lead to public...

Give cannabis producers more packaging and labelling flexibility

Jan 19, 2021 04:57 am UTC| Law

While efforts to legalize recreational cannabis nationally have stalled in the United States, New Zealand, Mexico and Israel, Canadas legal market continues to evolve. Health Canada has recently been receiving...

Global Geopolitics Series

Iran flexes its missile muscle with terrible consequences

Jan 14, 2020 00:34 am UTC| Insights & Views

Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) recently demonstrated its sophisticated missile technology by attacking U.S. military bases in Iraq. But later the same day, its missiles unintentionally destroyed an...

Cannabis quality involves careful science and carefree highs

Jun 19, 2019 02:03 am UTC| Insights & Views Law

Canadas legal cannabis industry continues to make progress. Product shortages are decreasing. Store numbers are increasing. And edible cannabis regulations have just been finalized. With these basics falling into place,...

How Canadians are buying cannabis and getting high now that it's legal

Feb 19, 2019 16:57 pm UTC| Insights & Views Law Health

There was much speculation throughout 2018 about Canadas soon-to-be-legal cannabis market. But only recently has data become available that shows what cannabis consumers really want and actually buy. For example,...

Where's the weed? Clues to Canada's cannabis shortages

Jan 27, 2019 14:33 pm UTC| Business

Wheres the weed!? Thats been a common Canadian refrain lately. Shortages appeared almost immediately after recreational cannabis sales began last October. Provincial distributors subsequently blamed producers and...

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Economy

South Korea Central Bank Signals Inflation Concerns as Oil Prices Surge

South Koreas central bank is expected to place greater emphasis on inflation control after rising global oil prices triggered concerns that inflation could move above the Bank of Koreas 2% target. The warning came from...

Norway Core Inflation Hits 3.2% in April, Fueling Interest Rate Hike Expectations

Norways annual core inflation rate climbed to 3.2% in April, reinforcing expectations that the countrys central bank could maintain higher interest rates for a longer period. The latest figures, released by Statistics...

Goldman Sachs Delays Fed Rate Cut Forecast to 2026 Amid Rising Inflation Concerns

Goldman Sachs has pushed back its forecast for U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate cuts, now expecting reductions in December 2026 and March 2027 instead of the previously projected September and December 2026 cuts. The...

ECB Signals Possible Interest Rate Move if Inflation Outlook Fails to Improve

European Central Bank (ECB) governing council member Martin Kocher signaled that the ECB may soon need to adjust interest rates if inflation in the eurozone does not show meaningful improvement. His comments, published...

Indian Stock Market Drops as Iran Conflict Fuels Oil Price and Inflation Fears

Indian stock markets opened sharply lower on Monday as investors reacted to growing concerns over the economic fallout from the escalating Middle East conflict and rising crude oil prices. The Nifty 50 index declined 1.2%...

Politics

US Auto Industry Urges Trump to Block Chinese EV Market Access

As President Donald Trump prepares for a high-profile meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, pressure is mounting from U.S. automakers, lawmakers, unions, and manufacturers urging the administration to keep Chinese...

Trump-Xi Summit Sparks Renewed Hope for Americans Detained in China

Families of two Americans imprisoned in China for more than a decade are urging U.S. President Donald Trump to raise their cases during his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The detainees, Dawn Michelle Hunt and...

Trump Rejects Iran Proposal as Strait of Hormuz Crisis Pushes Oil Prices Higher

Oil prices surged Monday after former U.S. President Donald Trump rejected Irans latest response to a U.S.-backed peace proposal, raising fears that the ongoing Middle East conflict could intensify and further disrupt...

Taiwan Confident in Strong U.S. Relations Ahead of Trump-Xi China Summit

Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said Monday that Taipei remains confident in the stable growth of Taiwan-U.S. relations as U.S. President Donald Trump prepares for a high-profile visit to China this week. Trump is...

Netanyahu Signals Plan to End Reliance on U.S. Military Aid Within 10 Years

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel aims to gradually eliminate its dependence on U.S. military assistance over the next decade while expanding strategic partnerships with Gulf nations. In an interview...

Science

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

Technology

Nintendo Shares Tumble as Weak Forecast and Rising Switch 2 Costs Worry Investors

Nintendo shares plunged on Monday after the Japanese gaming giant posted annual earnings that missed analyst expectations and issued a weaker-than-expected outlook for the current fiscal year. The disappointing forecast...

AI-Driven Inflation Raises U.S. Consumer Prices, Goldman Sachs Says

Artificial intelligence is starting to increase U.S. consumer prices through rising costs in electronics, software, and electricity, according to a new Goldman Sachs report. The investment bank said AI-related inflation...

Judge Delays SEC Settlement With Elon Musk Over Twitter Stock Disclosure Case

A federal judge has declined to immediately approve a proposed $1.5 million settlement between Elon Musk and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) tied to Musks 2022 Twitter stock purchase disclosures. The...

Broadcom Eyes $35 Billion AI Chip Financing Deal With Apollo and Blackstone

Broadcom Inc. is reportedly in discussions with Apollo Global Management and Blackstone Inc. to secure around $35 billion in financing for its expanding artificial intelligence chip business, according to a Bloomberg...

Dell Stock Hits Record High After Trump Endorsement, AI Server Demand Fuels Rally

Dell Technologies Inc. (NYSE: DELL) surged to an all-time high on Friday after receiving a public endorsement from President Donald Trump during a White House event. The president encouraged Americans to go out and buy...