LOCKHEED MARTIN TO EXPLORE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA TO IMPROVE DISASTER RELIEF

CHERRY HILL, NJ, September 8, 2009—The Office of Naval Research awarded Lockheed Martin [NYSE:LMT] Advanced Technology Laboratories (ATL) a $1-million, two-year contract to investigate social media as a way to help officials better deal with the complexities of humanitarian and disaster relief.

The program will research the use of social media to help decision makers and planners improve forecasting, evacuation plans, distribution of supplies and communications. The result will be a fuller understanding of the human, social, and cultural needs of the affected population, which will let military and civilian responders provide more timely responses and better care.

Social media takes many forms—instant messaging, wikis, blogs and much more —and millions of users worldwide frequently engage one or more of its forms. A study by StrategicAnalytics suggests that there will be over 1 billion users by 2012. With such a massive network of users, the potential to "get the word out" via social media is staggering. Even agencies such as the Red Cross have noticed and are taking advantage of social media to help define relief response.

"Humanitarian and disaster relief events seem to alter the use of social media, which leads to different patterns of human interaction, political and social structures, and network dynamics within a community," said Dr. Brian Dennis, ATL's principal investigator. "People use the Internet and social media differently when faced with direct peril or when being good Samaritans after a disaster."

The project will develop computational models to accurately predict how information propagates through social media based on an understanding of the social dynamics of a humanitarian and disaster relief event. This research can ultimately impact information dissemination in multiple disaster events. For example, Twitter™ could provide rapid updates to family and friends and monitoring of trusted information sources. Flickr's® photosharing capabilities could be used to visually document events.

The computational model and simulator enable "what-if" explorations. By testing different operational hypotheses with the simulation, planners and responders can determine the most effective way to communicate with and serve people in disaster areas.

"The simulation could help identify emerging social leaders in the area who could be enlisted to help maintain social stability and ensure equitable distribution of emergency supplies," said Dennis. "These tools would give responders additional sensors in the affected environment."

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2008 sales of $42.7 billion.

# # #

Contact: Stephen P. O'Neill, (856) 792-9815, soneill@atl.lmco.com

For additional information on Lockheed Martin Corporation, visit our website:www.lockheedmartin.com

download a pdf version of this release