Associate ProfessorMichael Johnstone

My work focuses on designing, validating and deploying simulation-based decision systems for complex operational environments. I lead modelling, simulation and digital-twin research that helps organisations test high-consequence decisions before they commit people, funding, infrastructure or policy.

I work closely with government, industry, health and research partners to understand how their systems function in practice, then develop models that provide reliable evidence for real operational decisions. My research uses discrete-event simulation, agent-based modelling, optimisation, machine learning and systems modelling to represent demand, process behaviour, resource constraints, uncertainty and decision logic at scale.

A major focus of my work is translating modelling methods into decision-support systems that organisations can use in planning, scheduling, forecasting and operational coordination. Several systems I have led operate in regulated or high-accountability environments where decisions have significant operational, financial and public consequences.

I have applied this approach across national electoral administration, advanced manufacturing, transport safety, health-system modelling and defence simulation. This includes long-running partnerships with government and industry partners, and the development of reusable modelling capability that supports research, teaching, externally partnered programs and operational decision-making.

Beyond individual projects, I contribute to shared modelling and simulation capability at Deakin through research software, platforms and team-based methods. This includes STICKE for participatory systems modelling and Genesis for human-in-the-loop simulation research.

I collaborate with organisations that need credible modelling evidence to support complex operational decisions under uncertainty.