Additional Resources
This is a list of external website links for learning more about systems.
Jump to:
- Complex Systems Organizations
- Tools for Modeling Systems
- Systems Study at Universities
- System Courses and Conferences
- Lists of System Links
- System Related Communications
- Changing the World in Systemic Ways
Complex Systems Organizations
Maybe the first institute created to focus on complex systems and interdisciplinary research. The book “Complexity” is mostly about the people who started this institute.
New England Complex Systems Institute
The New England Complex Systems Institute (NECSI) has been instrumental in the development of complex systems science and its applications. NECSI conducts research, education, knowledge dissemination, and community development around the world for the promotion of the study of complex systems and its application for the betterment of society.
System dynamics is a methodology for studying and managing complex feedback systems, such as one finds in business and other social systems.
A resource for agent- and individual-based modelers and the home of Swarm.
The IEEE Systems Council integrates IEEE activities regarding aspects of multiple disciplines and specialty areas associated with the engineering of systems
Wolfram's New Kind of Science (NKS) Site
Even though Wolfram doesn’t use the term “systems” in most of his ideas, his work on cellular automata is very systems related. It is in a little different direction, but is very interesting.
Tools for Modeling Systems
Agent-based Modeling Tool List
List of Agent based modeling tools
Useful and free open source toolkit for agent based modeling developed at Argonne National Laboratory and The University of Chicago
A developer of “Systems Thinking Software”. They have two products, Stella and iThink. They also teach systems modeling classes
Breve is a free, open-source software package which makes it easy to build 3D simulations of multi-agent systems and artificial life.
Java Agent Development Framework
(Java Agent Development Framework) is a software Framework fully implemented in Java language. It simplifies the implementation of multi-agent systems through a middle-ware that complies with the FIPA specifications and through a set of graphical tools that supports the debugging and deployment phases.
The SimAgent toolkit (originally called SIM_AGENT) provides a range of resources for research and teaching related to the development of interacting agents in environments of various degrees and kinds of complexity.
IBM Agent Building and Learning Environment
The Agent Building and Learning Environment (ABLE) is a Java-based framework, component library, and productivity toolkit for building intelligent agents that can use machine learning and reasoning.
A-globe is an agent platform designed for testing experimental scenarios featuring agents position and communication inaccessibility, but it can be also used without these extended functions. The platform provides functions for the residing agents, such as communication infrastructure, store, directory services, migration function, deploy service, etc. Communication in A-globe is very fast and the platform is relatively lightweight.
MASON is a fast discrete-event multiagent simulation library core in Java, designed to be the foundation for large custom-purpose Java simulations.
Vensim is used for developing, analyzing, and packaging high quality dynamic feedback models. It is a commercial package.
Systems Study at Universities
Complex Systems Study at the University of Alaska Anchorage.
Iowa State Agentbased Computational Economics
Agent based Computational Economics at Iowa State University. Agent-based computational economics (ACE) is the computational study of economic processes modeled as dynamic systems of interacting agents. Here “agent” refers broadly to a bundle of data and behavioral methods representing an entity constituting part of a computationally constructed world.
The System Science program encompasses both applications and theory-oriented aspects of the field. It is designed to prepare students for professional practice in industrial, governmental, and public service organizations and for research and teaching in academic institutions.
CSCS at University of Michigan
Center for the Study of Complex Systems.
Very comprehensive list of other university programs on systems and complexity.
Genetic and Evolutionary Computation
The Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference (GECCO-2008) will present the latest high-quality results in thegrowing field of genetic and evolutionary computation. Topics include: genetic algorithms, genetic programming, evolutionstrategies, evolutionary programming, real-world applications, learning classifier systems and other geneticsbased machinelearning, evolvable hardware, artificial life, adaptive behavior, ant colony optimization, swarm intelligence, biologicalapplications, evolutionary robotics, coevolution, artificial immune systems, and more.
System Courses and Conferences
An intensive business applications-oriented introduction to agent-based modeling and simulation (ABMS) based on Michael North and Charles Macal’s new book Managing Business Complexity: Discovering Strategic Solutions with Agent-Based Modeling and Simulation. This class is given once a year.
Complex System Models in the Social Sciences
A Summer program in Quantitative Methods of Social Research by InterUniversity Consortium for Political and Social Research. (ICPSR)
Agentbased Compuatational Economics (ACE)
Econ 308 is a fun course stressing a “virtual reality” approach to the study of economic processes.
Wolfram’s own class based on his New Kind of Science book.
Lists of System Links
Portland State U. Systems Resource Links
A good catagorized list of systems science links.
Complex Adaptive System Research
A very large list of different complex adaptive systems links. Some are dated.
System Related Communications
ComplexityBlog.com, a repository of the ideas and perspectives of Aaron Bramson and Ken Zick regarding the science, engineering, and philosophy of complexity.
Emergence: Complexity & Organization (E:CO)
Emergence: Complexity & Organization (E:CO) is an international and interdisciplinary conversation about human organizations as complex systems and the implications of complexity science for those organizations.
Changing the World in Systemic Ways
The Social Investment Forum site offers comprehensive information, contacts & resources on socially responsible investing.
Helps support business that contributes to an equitable and ecologically sustainable economy.
To develop, disseminate and implement new concepts of organization that result in more equitable sharing of power and wealth, improved health, and greater compatibility with the human spirit and biosphere
In this groundbreaking blueprint for a new economy, three leading business visionaries explain how the world is on the verge of a new industrial revolution—one that promises to transform our fundamental notions about commerce and its role in shaping our future. Natural Capitalism describes a future in which business and environmental interests increasingly overlap, and in which businesses can better satisfy their customers’ needs, increase profits, and help solve environmental problems all at the same time.
Allows regular people to lend small amounts of money to small businesses in the developing world.
A fun place to post ideas and look for other ideas.
An interesting alternative to typical dogmatic political thinking. Tries to find political solutions in an unbiased manner that don’t fit into the traditional “conservative” or “liberal” ideology.