The Colloquium Series of the
            Department of Computer Science,
		  University of Wyoming

			presents
	      (something totally different!)

                    Dr. Michael Gizzi
		    Dr. Richard Vail
	            Mesa State College

	"Exploring emergence in social and natural
	 systems using NetLogo agent-based modeling"

                  Friday, April 15, 2005
	                ENG 1044
	             1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Abstract:

Our presentation explores the development of agent-based simulations in
the social sciences using the NetLogo programming environment. We consider
agent-based modeling to be a "Third Way of Doing Science," neither deduction
nor induction, but drawing on the strengths of both methods. Agent-based
modeling is an approach to simulating the behavior of a complex system in
which agents (individuals or groups) interact with each other and with their
environment using simple rules governing the agents behavior. It is gaining
popularity in many disciplines including political science, economics,
business, and the natural and physical sciences. NetLogo is a program that
uses natural language commands to provide much of the sophistication of more
difficult programming environments like Swarm, without most of the
requirements needed by a computer scientist. It is the ideal tool for the
non-programmer.

In our presentation we will explore the basic concepts of emergent
behavior through several examples. We will then discuss two different
models that we have created - the first is an original model of the impact
of eliminating plea bargaining in the judicial system on prison populations
and court delay. The second is an adaptation of Epstein and Axtell's
"Sugarscape" artificial society model featured in their book *Growing
Artificial Societies: Social Science from the Bottom Up." Our model, "New
Wealth Distribution" focuses on the allocation of wealth in an artificial
society.

We plan for there to be plenty of time for discussion.

Bios:

Michael Gizzi is an Associate Professor of Political Science and Director
of the Mesa State College Advanced Learning Center. He has a Ph.D. from The
University at Albany, State University of New York. He teaches in the areas
of constitutional law and American politics, in addition to serving as the
co-lead instructor for the Advanced Learning Center course on "simThinking:
Modeling the Natural and Social World." He is the author of "The Web of
Democracy", an introductory American Government text, under revision for a
second edition. His primary research is in the area of modeling complex
systems in the social sciences using agent-based modeling. Current projects
include two models of judicial politics; a model illustrating James
Madison's Federalist 10, and a larger project on social capital and trust
with Richard Vail.

Richard Vail is Professor of Business Administration and Director of the
MBA Program at Mesa State College. He has a D.Phil from Oxford University
and has taught at The University of Dublin, Trinity College in Dublin, 
Ireland before coming to Mesa State. Dr. Vail is currently writing an
article on the challenges and lessons of modifying a pre-existing agent-based
model.