IIASA

🔥Understanding where fires begin is key to reducing their impacts. Studying the devastating 2015 Southeast Asian fires, researchers found that many of the largest fires started in multiple locations before merging into much larger events.

"Our results show that the causes of fires are not just complicated, but also dynamic," says lead author Adrian Dwiputra. "Complex problems require complex understanding and complex solutions."

The findings provide new insights that could help improve fire prevention and understanding of fire risks under climate change across tropical landscapes.

Read more 👉 https://iiasa.ac.at/news/jul-2026/connecting-dots-behind-southeast-asias-catastrophic-fires

National University of Singapore
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The best decisions happen when people come together to share perspectives, challenge ideas, and build on the best available evidence.

At the Raiffa Academy, participants will explore how engaging stakeholders throughout the decision-making process can strengthen analysis, improve negotiations, and lead to more effective policy outcomes.

Leading this session is Daniel Goroff, President and CEO of the Social Science Research Council and Senior Advisor to the President of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Throughout his career, Daniel has worked at the intersection of science, public policy, and government, including leadership roles at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the National Academies. Earlier in his career, he developed and taught courses alongside Howard Raiffa while they were both faculty members at Harvard University.

Drawing on this experience, Daniel will lead a panel discussion on how analysis can better support decision-making, negotiation, and diplomacy. Participants will explore practical approaches for ensuring that scientific evidence informs decisions by engaging the people who shape them from the very beginning.

Daniel will also introduce and moderate the Raiffa Academy Inaugural Lecture, featuring Avril Haines, President-elect of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and former United States Director of National Intelligence

The Raiffa Academy brings together leading experts in decision science, negotiation, and systems analysis to help researchers, policymakers, and practitioners turn knowledge into meaningful action.

Learn more about the Raiffa Academy faculty members: https://iiasa.ac.at/raiffa-academy/faculty