Date & Time: Thursday 24th March 2011, 10am - 4:30pm
Venue: Treetops room, Wates House, University of Surrey, Guildford

"Are we there yet?: Simulation modellers on what needs to be done to involve agent-based simulation in practical decision making"

Agent-based - or multi-agent - simulation (ABS) has been employed for over two decades in theoretical work in the social sciences, but its practical use has been limited compared to other approaches to simulation, especially Monte Carlo, discrete-event simulation (DES) and system dynamics (SD). The Centre for Research in Social Simulation (CRESS) at the University of Surrey plays host to a day of presentations on agent-based simulation models that have already led to or are close to leading to influencing decision makers in a range of application areas, including healthcare, consultancy and economics. We hope to address some of the challenges posed by using this type of simulation, and offer guidance and contacts for those interested in adding it to their modelling toolkit. The event will build on the previous meeting of the Simulation SIG that compared DES and SD, as well as a stream at the OR Society's 2010 Simulation Workshop, and a recent special issue of the Journal of Simulation.

Registration:

Closed.

Deadline: 9th March 2011

Programme:

10:00am    Coffee & Registration

10:30   Welcome address and introduction (Professor Nigel Gilbert)

11:00 - 12:30  Presentations (Download Audio, 210.9 MB : Morning session: NG, SR, SM)

• Stewart Robinson, ORMS Group, Warwick Business School

"Are Agent Based Simulation and Operational Research Commensurable Paradigms"

• Scott Moss, Scott Moss Associates and University of Koblenz

"Evidence-based modelling with agents: a defensible approach to the use of models in policy analysis"

• Jeremy Franklin, Home Office

"Migration in an agent-based labour market: how can ABM be used to influence policy decisions?"

12:30 - 13:30    Buffet lunch provided

13:30 - 15:00      Presentations (Download Audio, 229.3 MB : Afternoon session: MT, P-O S, DB)

• Mark Temple, NHS

"Finding both the needle and the haystack: Contact tracing and the role of social networks"

• Peer-Olaf Siebers, University of Nottingham

"A First Approach on Modelling Staff Proactiveness in Retail Simulation Models"

• David Buxton, dse Consulting

"My Agents can't decide...could Bayesian Belief Networks be the solution?"

15:00 - 15:30      Coffee

15:30 - 16:30      Q&A Panel (Download Audio, 137.2 MB :Panel discussion: NG, SR, SM, DB)

Invited Speakers:

Professor Nigel Gilbert (Director, CRESS, University of Surrey)

Professor Stewart Robinson, ORMS Group, Warwick Business School

Dr Peer-Olaf Siebers, University of Nottingham

David Buxton, dse Consulting

Jeremy Franklin, Home Office

Dr Mark Temple, NHS

Professor Scott Moss, Scott Moss Associates and University of Koblenz

Organisers:

Dr Christopher Watts, CRESS, University of Surrey
Dr Katy Hoad, ORMS Group, University of Warwick
Dr Christine Currie, School of Mathematics, University of Southampton

Following the successful first ESSA Summer School on Agent-Based Modelling, held in Brescia, Italy in September 2010, a second Summer School will be held on 18-22 July 2011 at the University of Surrey, Guildford.

The Summer school is aimed at those who have a basic understanding of social simulation and are taking their first steps in agent-based modelling.  It is expected that most participants will be actively engaged in developing a simulation model.

The programme will consist of two lectures per day from experienced modellers, together with group sessions led by experienced researchers when participants can discuss their modelling plans and experience.  The lectures will focus on the stories behind successful examples of agent-based modelling, and will cover issues from defining a research question to writing effective reports.

Lecturers and researchers will include:

• Edmund Chattoe-Brown (University of Leicester, UK)
• Ozge Dilaver Kalkan (University of Surrey, UK)
• Bruce Edmonds (Manchester Metropolitan University, UK)
• Nigel Gilbert (University of Surrey, UK)
• Lynne Hamill (University of Surrey, UK)
• Iris Lorscheid (Technische Universität Hamburg-Harburg, Germany)
• Paul Ormerod (Volterra Consulting, UK)
• Mauricio Salgado (University of Surrey, UK)
• Abhijit Sengupta (Unilever Research, UK)
• Flaminio Squazzoni (University of Brescia, Italy)
• Pietro Terna (University of Torino, Italy)
• Warren Thorngate (Carleton University, Canada)
• Klaus G Troitzsch (University of Koblenz, Germany)
• Christopher Watts (University of Surrey, UK)

By the end of the Summer School, students can expect to have absorbed a great deal of 'tacit' knowledge about how to go about model building, as well as having had opportunities to discuss their research with experts and peers.

The Summer School welcomes postgraduate students, post-doctoral researchers, and professionals.

Application procedure

Please send a brief CV, a summary of your current research, including a description of modelling planned or achieved and, if you are a postgraduate student a letter of support from your supervisor, as attachments to an email with the subject line "ESSA Summer School application' to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it by 15 March 2011 at the latest. Notification of acceptance/rejection will be send out by 1 April 2011.

Fees: deadline 15 April, 2011

• For university and research institute students, including bed and breakfast (B&B) on the University Campus: £350
• For staff of Higher Education institutions, including B&B on the University Campus: £450
• For others, not including accommodation: £400
• For others, with B&B on the University Campus: £600

Registration fees include lunches, coffee/tea during the day and a social dinner. The University accommodation is in single rooms with shared bathroom.

We do NOT accept late registrations. Registration will not be confirmed unless the payment is received.

Terms: If cancelled before 15 April 2011, no fee will be charged. If cancelled later or in case of no-show, the total price of the registration will be charged.

Bursaries

ASSYST are providing up to five bursaries to assist PhD students, each worth up to €300. To apply, ask your supervisor to include a statement of why you should be awarded a bursary in the letter of support you will send as part of your application. Priority in awarding the bursaries will be given to those who have no alternative means of funding their attendance at the Summer School. Bursaries will be given to the successful applicants at the summer school in July. It cannot be provided at the time of registration.

Bursary for UK applicants only: The UK National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM) is offering training bursaries to UK staff engaged in research, teaching research methods or supervising research. For further information about the bursaries and to apply please see http://www.ncrm.ac.uk/about/funding/training/

Contact

Please send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The Summer school is sponsored by the SIMIAN project, Unilever Plc. and the University of Surrey, to whom we are grateful for their support.

Workshop on methodological innovation: The Processes of Methodological Innovation: Successful Development & Diffusion

Organised by: Nigel Gilbert, Maria Xenitidou and Graham Crow (NCRM Hub)

Workshop brings together experts working on innovative methodologies around the world to focus on the history behind methodological innovations and on the agents, processes and mechanisms of their development and diffusion. The workshop is based on the conclusions of the project "Innovations in Social Science Research Methods: An International Perspective".

The workshop's objectives are:

• To track the "history" leading up to methodological innovations;
• To reflect on the "agents" and "networks" behind methodological innovations;
• To learn from the processes of developing and diffusing methodological innovations.

More details and presentations can be found here.

Session on: Simulation

This session, run by the SIMIAN node of NCRM, showed how simulation (specifically agent-based modelling) can be used to suggest new concepts, relate apparently diverse social science theories and make data more tractable and comprehensible. Presentations focused on studies of innovation, social dilemmas, and norms and morality. Simulation is neither a 'qualitative' nor a 'quantitative' method and the session is of interest to those who have never thought about simulation as well as to those who are already well versed in this new methodology. The session concluded with a question and answer panel.

Presentations can be downloaded here:

• Edmund Chattoe-Brown : What's right about social simulation?
• Corinna Elsenbroich : Social Influence in Agent-Based Modelling
• Christopher Watts : Modelling radical innovation

Taster Courses:

• 21 January 2011 University of Surrey

2 days Introductory Courses:

• 22 - 23 February 2011 University of Surrey: Day 1: Taster; Day 2: Build-a-Model
• 11 - 12 May 2011 University of Surrey: Day 1: Taster; Day 2: Build-a-Model

Advanced Workshop:

• 24 June 2011 University of Leicester: Simulating Innovation Workshop

5 days Summer School:

• 18 - 22 July 2011 University of Surrey

See the Courses pages for more information

Agent Based Simulation? Great Idea! How Can I Ever Make That Happen?

Under the aegis of the Economic and Social Research Council and its National Centre for Research Methods, SIMIAN (Simulation Innovation: A Node) is offering User Fellowships in agent based simulation.

You

• work in the UK and want to make effective use of agent based simulation outside the usual context of academic research
• could develop a clearly defined project of two weeks to two months duration
• would value a supportive and expert environment away from your everyday work
• could take up the fellowship by March 2011

We

• have a total of more than 40 years of expertise in simulation and social science
• are well connected in national and international academic communities and can offer effective advice and contacts to advance your project
• are keen to develop mutually advantageous collaborations between academic and other potential users of agent-based models.

To apply, please send to Lu Yang < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >:

• a brief CV
• a short proposal outlining your project and what kinds of fellowship resources would most help you to advance it
• an estimated budget for expenditure on travel to Guildford and, if required, the cost of accommodation and subsistence during the Fellowship. (A maximum of £1600 is available for each Fellowship.)

Preliminary enquiries can be made to the co-Directors of SIMIAN, Professor Nigel Gilbert < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it > and Dr Edmund Chattoe-Brown < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >

References:

• Agent-Based Models: book by Nigel Gilbert (link to: http://www.uk.sagepub.com/booksProdDesc.nav?prodId=Book230292)
• Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation (link to http://jasss.soc.surrey.ac.uk)
• Doyne Farmer’s financial market model at the Santa Fe Institute. See http://tuvalu.santafe.edu/~jdf/SFI%20Template/About%20Me.html
• Behavioural finance: Cars Hommes and Florian Wagener at Amsterdam. See http://www1.fee.uva.nl/cendef/ .

For details regarding current User Fellowship Research click here.

The National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM) is offering training bursaries up to £1000 to enable staff in the UK social science community engaged in research, teaching research methods or supervising research to update their skills. Contract researchers working in HEIs are also eligible for the bursaries. Please note that the bursary scheme is open for applications throughout the year i.e. there are no deadlines for applications. For further information about the bursaries and to apply please see here.

There is no prescribed list of accepted training courses. However, applicants may like to use the Training & Events database to help in locating a course.

The Centre for Research in Social Simulation (University of Surrey, UK) and the Centre d'Analyse et Mathématique Sociales (EHESS/CNRS, France) successfully hosted  QualityCommons - an interdisciplinary workshop on collective quality representations and the social processes behind them.

The aim of the workshop was to:

• clarify research questions about the emergence of collective quality definitions
• consider preliminary ideas about the topic as applied to a number of domains (e.g. science, social computing, art, etc.)
• promote links between participants to encourage the development and submission of research proposals on the topic
• plan the writing of an edited book/special journal issue with chapters partly contributed by the participants and partly solicited via an open call for papers after the workshop.

The Quality Commons workshop took place on 28–29 January 2010 at the Maison de la Recherche, Sorbonne University, in Paris. It featured presentations by invited speakers, from both academia and industry, as well as panel discussions with a selected audience of up to 50 participants.

For other details regarding the workshop visit the QualityCommons webpage.

2 days Introductory Courses:

• 9 - 10 February 2010 University of Surrey: Day 1: Taster; Day 2: Build-a-Model
• 10 - 11 May 2010 University of Surrey: Day 1: Taster; Day 2: Build-a-Model
• 30 November - 1 December 2010 University of Surrey: Day 1: Taster; Day 2: Build-a-Model

Specialised Courses:

• 10 June 2010 University of Leicester: Rich Cognitive Models
• 22 October 2010 University of Manchester: Synthetic Data Meets Simulation

5 days Summer School:

• 13 - 17 September 2010 University of Brescia, Italy

See the Courses pages for more information