The Defense Department’s COVID-19 Task Force, or CVTF, is leveraging data analytics and advanced modeling to heighten military readiness, taper uncertainty and enable a more informed response throughout and beyond the coronavirus pandemic.
Capt. Kimberly Elenberg leads modeling and analytical support for CVTF and recently offered a glimpse into the group’s evolving, tech-driven efforts. She was among several agency insiders, academics and industry analysts to detail ongoing work during a federal health virtual forum hosted by Booz Allen Hamilton, focusing on the impact of artificial intelligence in the fight against COVID-19.
“Our work is really looking at not just the academics of ‘how do we get the best information,’ but ‘how do we actually apply that information,’” Elenberg explained.
Early on, the CVTF launched an interagency modeling and simulation community of interest so that people from a range of different-yet-relevant backgrounds could exchange insights and align on best practices for both assessing the overall understanding, and subsequently, responding to the pandemic. “This was really a bridge between the academic side and the epidemiologists, and those folks who have to make sure that the military can meet its mission every single day,” Elenberg explained.
Certain answers officials sought to arrive at via the integrated data and simulations, included how and where the disease is spreading and the inherent risks it poses to individuals and the Pentagon’s mission. With a wealth of data streams flowing into the agency, Elenberg also highlighted the significant need to focus on the authority and quality of the data that’s used. “That's important for our leadership, so that they can trust the outcomes of products we’re producing,” she noted.
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