Professor Joseph Barbera, through the GW Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and Risk Management, conducts research across a wide range of topics in emergency management, risk management, and business continuity. The underlying basis that connects these disparate areas is engineering management and systems methodology applications that ensure a rigorous scientific approach. Current and recent research focuses upon large-scale incident (disaster) management, hazard risk assessments, public health hazard risk reduction, collapsed-structure search strategies, and confined space medical interventions. Healthcare emergency management that is focused both on mass casualties and continuity of critical operations is another active area of research and development.