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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

Asian Stocks Rally as AI Optimism and Tech Surge Lift Regional Markets in 2026

Asian stock markets advanced on Wednesday, driven by strong gains in technology shares and continued investor enthusiasm surrounding artificial intelligence (AI). Despite escalating tensions between the United States and...

Gulf Tensions Escalate as Iranian Missile Attacks Fail and Nuclear Talks Remain Stalled

Hostilities in the Gulf region intensified on Wednesday after the U.S. military reported that multiple Iranian missile and drone attacks targeting Bahrain, Kuwait, and other regional locations were either intercepted or...

U.S. Proposes New Tariffs on Imports From 60 Economies Over Forced Labor Concerns

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced on Tuesday a proposal to impose additional tariffs on imports from 60 economies after determining that their efforts to prevent trade in goods produced...

U.S. Opens Public Comment Period on New U.S.-China Trade Board and Potential Tariff Cuts

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has launched a public comment process on the newly proposed U.S.-China Board of Trade, a bilateral initiative that could pave the way for tariff reductions on selected...

Putin’s ‘Russian Davos’ Draws U.S. Influencers, Officials, and Global Business Figures Amid Economic Struggles

Russias flagship investment gathering, often referred to as the Russian Davos, opened in St. Petersburg on Wednesday as President Vladimir Putin seeks to attract international business interest while facing slowing...

Politics

CBS News Fires Scott Pelley Amid Major Changes at ‘60 Minutes’ in 2026

CBS News has terminated the employment of veteran 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley, according to sources familiar with the matter, marking another significant development in the ongoing restructuring of the iconic...

Cambodia Launches UN Maritime Arbitration Against Thailand Over $300 Billion Energy-Rich Gulf Dispute

Cambodia has formally initiated a United Nations-backed compulsory conciliation process to address its long-running maritime boundary dispute with Thailand, a move that could pave the way for access to vast oil and natural...

Trump Endorses Colombian Presidential Candidate Abelardo de la Espriella Ahead of Runoff Election

U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly endorsed Colombian presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriella ahead of Colombias highly anticipated runoff election scheduled for June 2026. The endorsement highlights the...

UN Chief Proposes New U.N. Force Options for Lebanon After UNIFIL Mandate Ends

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged members of the U.N. Security Council to maintain a continued uniformed U.N. presence in Lebanon after the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon...

Russia Launches Massive Missile and Drone Attack on Ukraine

Russia carried out one of its largest aerial assaults on Ukraine, launching hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles that killed at least 23 people and injured more than 130. The large-scale attack struck several...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

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...

Technology

DeepSeek Targets $7.4 Billion Funding Round, Valuation Could Reach $59 Billion in 2026

Chinese AI startup DeepSeek is reportedly preparing to raise approximately 50 billion yuan ($7.4 billion) in its first external funding round, a move that could value the company at between 350 billion yuan and 400 billion...

Palo Alto Networks Q3 FY2026 Earnings Surge on Strong AI Security Demand, Raises Full-Year Outlook

Palo Alto Networks delivered stronger-than-expected fiscal third-quarter 2026 results, fueled by growing demand for artificial intelligence (AI) security solutions and contributions from its recent acquisitions. Following...

SpaceX Targets Record-Breaking $75 Billion IPO at $135 Per Share in Historic Market Debut

SpaceX is preparing for what could become the largest initial public offering (IPO) in history, with plans to price its shares at $135 each and raise approximately $75 billion, according to a source familiar with the...

HPE Raises 2026 Outlook After Record Q2 Revenue Fueled by AI Server Demand

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE: HPE) delivered record-breaking second-quarter results, driven by surging demand for AI infrastructure, enterprise servers, and networking solutions. The strong performance prompted the...

Alphabet Unveils $80 Billion Capital Raise to Accelerate AI Expansion, Secures $10 Billion Backing from Berkshire Hathaway

Alphabet Inc. has announced an ambitious $80 billion equity fundraising plan aimed at supporting the rapidly growing costs of artificial intelligence infrastructure and expanding its computing capacity. The move highlights...