Editorial: International Journal of Critical Infrastructures

(First paragraph) This special issue of the International Journal of Critical Infrastructures is a compilation of the papers presented at the Fourth Annual Conference on Next Generation Infrastructures held in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in November, 2011. This conference was sponsored by Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, USA and by the Next Generation Infrastructures Foundation, Delft, The Netherlands. The participants travelled from around the globe to converse about ideas that address both concerns for the present and optimism for the future of critical infrastructures. The conference, held in the USA for the first time, provided a platform for vibrant discussions on multiple aspects of critical infrastructures – infrastructures deemed essential for the functioning of our societies. Thought provoking questions were posed and discussions ensued on a wide range topics ranging from infrastructure vulnerability and resilience, including methods for design and operation, to modelling and analysis, including assessment and evaluation methods. Central to the deliberations was the theme that addressing the concerns of next generation critical infrastructures is a primary challenge for the coming decades. Tested by increasing complexity, scare resources, and emerging threats, the future of critical infrastructure development will continue to be a source of challenges, proposed solutions, and continuing research. This conference provided a venue to identify existing and future infrastructure challenges that must be addressed, to highlight advances in practice and research, and finally to provide case studies on methods to address the future of critical infrastructures