JANUARY
January 17: Course Overview and Introduction - Introduction to Systems Thinking
Course structure, syllabus review, reading assignments, projects and mentoring, grading,
expectations (students and faculty)
January 19: 听A Systems View of the World (1)
Looking at the world as a system of systems;听systems science and complexity science;听
system thinking;听methods of decision making;听simple, complicated, and complex systems
HW Assignment:
听 听听听 听 听- Study:听Habits # 1听in Habits Course from the听听
January 24: 听A Systems View of the World (2)
Looking at the world as a system of systems;听systems science and complexity science;听
system thinking;听methods of decision making;听simple, complicated, and complex systems
HW Assignment:听
听听听听 - Read Chapters 1 and 2 in the book by E. Laszlo (distributed in class on Jan 19)
听听听听 -听Read:听听,听听
听听听听听-听Study:听Habits # 2听in Habits Course from the听听
January 26: Introduction to System Dynamics (1)
Components of system dynamics; system dynamics modeling; STELLA Architect software
HW Assignment:
听听听听 - Purchase the 6-month STELLA Architect v.8.x and upload it on your own computer.
听听听听听听听听to purchase. A perpetual student license is also available.
听 听 听听 You will need to open an account on the听website
听听听听 - Read "" by D. Snowden and M. Boone (2007)
听 听 听- Study:听Habits # 3听in Habits Course from the听听
January 31: Introduction to System Dynamics (2)
Components of system dynamics; system dynamics modeling; STELLA Architect software
HW Assignment
听听听听 - Start studying on your own the听on the ISEE听systems听website.
听 听 听- Study:听Habits # 4听in Habits Course from the听听听
听 听听 - Read pp. 14-27 in my book (sections 5.3.1-5.4.3)
FEBRUARY
February 2: Introduction to System Dynamics (3)
Components of system dynamics; system dynamics modeling; STELLA Architect software
HW Assignment
听 听听听-听 Browse through "" by B. Richmond (2004)
听听听听 -听 Study s听(Tutorials 1-4) on the ISEE听systems website
听 听听听-听听by D. Meadows.听Be ready to
听 听 听 听 present examples听of leverage points in class.听
听 听 听-听Study:听听from the听听
February 7: Introduction to System Dynamics (4)
Components of system dynamics; system dynamics modeling; STELLA Architect software
Reading and HW Assignment
听 听 -听听Browse through "" by B. Richmond (2004)
听 听 -听 Study听s听(Tutorials 1-6)听on the ISEE听systems website
听 听 -听听Study:听听听from the听听听 听
February 9: Introduction to System Dynamics (5)
Bass diffusion model of epidemics
听听听听听-听Study:听听 from the听听
HW: Create an SD model of acceleration, speed, and position for the following two cases:
听 听 听 听 (i) An object听is launched in the vertical direction at a听height Ho with a velocity听Vo.
听 听 听 听 听 听 Model the vertical trajectory of the object using STELLA. Gravity听effect only.听
听 听 听 听(ii) Consider the trajectory of the object in an x-y plane. Model the trajectory assuming the听
听 听 听 听 听 听 object starts at the origin with initial velocities Vox and Voy. Gravity only.听
听 听 听 听Choose input data that best illustrate the models.
听 听 听 听Turn in copies (hard or online)听of the models and graphs.听
February 14: The Water-Energy-Land-Food Nexus (1)
Nexus components and representations
Study:听听 from the听听
Reading Assignment:听(Hoff, 2011)
HW: Complete the transmission model developed in class on Feb 9 and include a听
relapsing population that听returns to the susceptible pool.听
February 16:听The Water-Energy-Land-Food Nexus (2)
Study:听听 from the听听
HW听Assignment:听Watch the video "The Water of Ayole" at听
As you watch the video, answer a series of听questions听(due on Feb 28)
February 21:听The Water-Energy-Land-Food Nexus (3)
SD Modeling of the nexus (the WELF modules)
Study:听听 from the听听
Reading assignment: The听
February 23:听The Water-Energy-Land-Food Nexus (4)
SD Modeling of the nexus (the WELF modules)
Study:听听 from the听听
Reading assignment: The听
HW due: Complete the first version of the population chain SD model started in class
February 28:听The Water-Energy-Land-Food Nexus (5)
Interface in STELLA
TERM PROJECTS ARE SELECTED
Study:听听 from the听听
HW听due:听Analyzing the components of a case study and modeling.
Watch the video "The Water of Ayole" at听
As you watch the video, answer a series of听questions听distributed in class on Feb 14.听
MARCH
March 2:听The Water-Energy-Land-Food Nexus (6)
S-shaped, Global seeking models, Architect interface.
Study:听听 from the听听
The Pardee RAND FEW Security Model (see section 6.5 in听my book)
Finish reading the听
Due:听
- One-page write-up describing your term group project
- 5 x 5听double causality WELF-Climate change听matrix (detailed version)
March 7:听Modeling听human system archetypes (see section 5.4.4 in my book)
The Architect interface, "Growth听and collapse" model
The WELF-climate change model
Study:听听 from the听听
Study:听from the听听
March 9:听Modeling听human system archetypes (see section 5.4.4 in my book)
Read "" by Braun (2002).听
Study:听from the听听
Overshoot and collapse generic structure.听
Zoom book exercise
HW Due:听Improve the Pardee RAND model discussed in class on Feb. 23. Your model
must include (i) the听effect of climate change;听(ii)听a simple sensitivity听analysis
showing the variation of the FEW index for the听following values of the basic听rates of water,
energy, and food: 0.025, 0.05, 0.075, and 0.1; and (iii) an interface with web link.听
March 14:听System Dynamics Modeling and Nexus Models- Archetypes
(Chapter 6 and section 5.4.4 in my book)
The WELF-climate change model听(pp. 85-118 in my book)
Read "" by Braun (2002).听
Study:听from the听听
March 16:听Collecting and Analyzing Data for System Dynamics Modeling
PAR methods of primary and secondary data collection and analysis.
Integration of data analysis in individual and group decision system modeling.
The WELF-climate change model听(pp. 85-118 in my book)
Read "" by Braun (2002).听
Study:听from the听听
HW Due: Zoom book exercise. Answer questions.听
March 21: Systems Approach to Management of Development Projects
Project Design and Planning
ICRISAT HW due on April 4
Study:听听from the听听
Explore: The WELF-climate change听model (pp. 85-118 in my book)
March 23:听Capacity assessment and development - The UVC approach to
Municipal Sanitation Systems (MSS)
Reading:听
Study:听from the听听
March 28听and 30: No classes - Spring break
APRIL - MAY
April 4: Systems Approach to Management of Development Projects
Capacity assessment and development - The UVC approach to
Municipal Sanitation Systems (MSS)
Study:听from the听听
Readand complete the听HW assignment听(distributed on March 21)
Reading:听
HW: Create听a stock and flow diagram illustrating the tragedy of the commons
April 6:听Term projects progress evaluation
Presentation of version 1.0 of term projects
April 11:听Systems Approach to Management of Development Projects
Capacity assessment and development - The UVC approach to
Municipal Sanitation Systems (MSS)
Start reading the听Martina Bustos Case Study听
Reading:听
April 13听Sustainability and Sustainable Development (1)
Human footprint; Definitions of sustainability: A systems approach to sustainability
Reading assignment:
听 听 -听according to M. Ben-Eli (2011)
听 听 -听, M. Ben-Eli (2012)
HW Assignment
听 听 -听Take the听and submit results to the instructor
April 18:听Sustainability and Sustainable Development (2)
Integrating sustainability in engineering projects (The Envision Framework)
HW Assignment:
听 听 - Read the听Martina Bustos Case Study听
听 听听 - The听. Browse through this听. 听听
April 20: Term projects review
April 25:听Agent-Based Modeling (ABM)
Download听
HW听Assignment: Martina Bustos Case Study. Questions distributed on April 13
April 27:听
Case study reports are due no later than April 27
May 2.听Final presentations (Part 1)
May 4:听Final presentations (Part 2)听
May 6:听Final exam period (7:30-10:00), if needed听
听
听