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: A Systems View of the World (1)
Looking at the world as a system of systems; systems science and complexity science;
system thinking; methods of decision making; simple, complicated, and complex systems
HW Assignment:
- Study: Habits # 1 in Habits Course from the Waters Center Foundation
January 24: A Systems View of the World (2)
Looking at the world as a system of systems; systems science and complexity science;
system thinking; methods of decision making; simple, complicated, and complex systems
HW Assignment:
- Read Chapters 1 and 2 in the book by E. Laszlo (distributed in class on Jan 19)
- Read: Systems Science, Systems Thinking, Complex Systems, System Dynamics
- Study: Habits # 2 in Habits Course from the Waters Center Foundation
January 26: Introduction to System Dynamics (1)
Components of system dynamics; system dynamics modeling; STELLA Architect software
HW Assignment:
- Purchase the 6-month STELLA Architect v.8.x and upload it on your own computer.
Click here to purchase. A perpetual student license is also available.
You will need to open an account on the ISEE systems website
- Read "A leader's framework for decision making" by D. Snowden and M. Boone (2007)
- Study: Habits # 3 in Habits Course from the Waters Center Foundation
January 31: Introduction to System Dynamics (2)
Components of system dynamics; system dynamics modeling; STELLA Architect software
HW Assignment
- Start studying on your own the SD tutorial on the ISEE systems website.
- Study: Habits # 4 in Habits Course from the Waters Center Foundation
- 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
- Browse through "An introduction to systems thinking - STELLA software" by B. Richmond (2004)
- Study SD tutorials (Tutorials 1-4) on the ISEE systems website
- Leverage Points: Places to intervene in a system by D. Meadows. Be ready to
present examples of leverage points in class.
- Study: Habits course 5 from the Waters Center Foundation
February 7: Introduction to System Dynamics (4)
Components of system dynamics; system dynamics modeling; STELLA Architect software
Reading and HW Assignment
- Browse through "An introduction to systems thinking - STELLA software" by B. Richmond (2004)
- Study SD tutorials (Tutorials 1-6) on the ISEE systems website
- Study: Habits course 6 from the Waters Center Foundation
February 9: Introduction to System Dynamics (5)
Bass diffusion model of epidemics
- Study: Habits course 7 from the Waters Center Foundation
HW: Create an SD model of acceleration, speed, and position for the following two cases:
(i) An object is launched in the vertical direction at a height Ho with a velocity Vo.
Model the vertical trajectory of the object using STELLA. Gravity effect only.
(ii) Consider the trajectory of the object in an x-y plane. Model the trajectory assuming the
object starts at the origin with initial velocities Vox and Voy. Gravity only.
Choose input data that best illustrate the models.
Turn in copies (hard or online) of the models and graphs.
February 14: The Water-Energy-Land-Food Nexus (1)
Nexus components and representations
Study: Habits course 8 from the Waters Center Foundation
Reading Assignment: Understanding the Nexus (Hoff, 2011)
HW: Complete the transmission model developed in class on Feb 9 and include a
relapsing population that returns to the susceptible pool.
February 16: The Water-Energy-Land-Food Nexus (2)
Study: Habits course 9 from the Waters Center Foundation
HW Assignment: Watch the video "The Water of Ayole" at https://vimeo.com/6281949
As you watch the video, answer a series of questions (due on Feb 28)
February 21: The Water-Energy-Land-Food Nexus (3)
SD Modeling of the nexus (the WELF modules)
Study: Habits course 10 from the Waters Center Foundation
Reading assignment: The Pardee RAND Report on the FEW nexus
February 23: The Water-Energy-Land-Food Nexus (4)
SD Modeling of the nexus (the WELF modules)
Study: Habits course 11 from the Waters Center Foundation
Reading assignment: The Pardee RAND Report on the FEW nexus
HW due: Complete the first version of the population chain SD model started in class
February 28: The Water-Energy-Land-Food Nexus (5)
Interface in STELLA
TERM PROJECTS ARE SELECTED
Study: Habits course 12 from the Waters Center Foundation
HW due: Analyzing the components of a case study and modeling.
Watch the video "The Water of Ayole" at https://vimeo.com/6281949
As you watch the video, answer a series of questions distributed in class on Feb 14.
MARCH
March 2: The Water-Energy-Land-Food Nexus (6)
S-shaped, Global seeking models, Architect interface.
Study: Habits course 13 from the Waters Center Foundation
The Pardee RAND FEW Security Model (see section 6.5 in my book)
Finish reading the Pardee RAND Report on the FEW nexus
Due:
- One-page write-up describing your term group project
- 5 x 5 double causality WELF-Climate change matrix (detailed version)
March 7: Modeling human system archetypes (see section 5.4.4 in my book)
The Architect interface, "Growth and collapse" model
The WELF-climate change model
Study: Habits courses 14 &15 from the Waters Center Foundation
Study: Archetypes 1 and 2 from the Waters Center Foundation
March 9: Modeling human system archetypes (see section 5.4.4 in my book)
Read "System Archetypes " by Braun (2002).
Study: Archetypes 3 and 4 from the Waters Center Foundation
Overshoot and collapse generic structure.
Zoom book exercise
HW Due: Improve the Pardee RAND model discussed in class on Feb. 23. Your model
must include (i) the effect of climate change; (ii) a simple sensitivity analysis
showing the variation of the FEW index for the following values of the basic rates of water,
energy, and food: 0.025, 0.05, 0.075, and 0.1; and (iii) an interface with web link.
March 14: System Dynamics Modeling and Nexus Models- Archetypes
(Chapter 6 and section 5.4.4 in my book)
The WELF-climate change model (pp. 85-118 in my book)
Read "System Archetypes " by Braun (2002).
Study: Archetype 5 from the Waters Center Foundation
March 16: 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 (pp. 85-118 in my book)
Read "System Archetypes " by Braun (2002).
Study: Archetype 6 from the Waters Center Foundation
HW Due: Zoom book exercise. Answer questions.
March 21: Systems Approach to Management of Development Projects
Project Design and Planning
ICRISAT HW due on April 4
Study: Archetype 7 from the Waters Center Foundation
Explore: The WELF-climate change model (pp. 85-118 in my book)
March 23: Capacity assessment and development - The UVC approach to
Municipal Sanitation Systems (MSS)
Reading: Document
Study: Archetype 8 from the Waters Center Foundation
March 28 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: Archetype 9 from the Waters Center Foundation
Read the ICRISAT case study and complete the HW assignment (distributed on March 21)
Reading: Document
HW: Create a stock and flow diagram illustrating the tragedy of the commons
April 6: Term projects progress evaluation
Presentation of version 1.0 of term projects
April 11: Systems Approach to Management of Development Projects
Capacity assessment and development - The UVC approach to
Municipal Sanitation Systems (MSS)
Start reading the Martina Bustos Case Study
Reading: Document
April 13 Sustainability and Sustainable Development (1)
Human footprint; Definitions of sustainability: A systems approach to sustainability
Reading assignment:
- The five core principles of sustainability according to M. Ben-Eli (2011)
- The cybernetics of sustainability, M. Ben-Eli (2012)
HW Assignment
- Take the footprint quiz and submit results to the instructor
April 18: Sustainability and Sustainable Development (2)
Integrating sustainability in engineering projects (The Envision Framework)
HW Assignment:
- Read the Martina Bustos Case Study
- The Envision Framework. Browse through this document.
April 20: Term projects review
April 25: Agent-Based Modeling (ABM)
Download AnyLogic (personal learning edition)
HW Assignment: Martina Bustos Case Study. Questions distributed on April 13
April 27:
Case study reports are due no later than April 27
May 2. Final presentations (Part 1)
May 4: Final presentations (Part 2)
May 6: Final exam period (7:30-10:00), if needed