ComplexSystems
interdisciplinary collaborative group

Last updated: 1/18/07

Who We Are
The Complex Systems Interdisciplinary Collaborative Group is establishing a home for research into Complex Systems at Wayne State University. The field of Complex Systems includes:

• Agent-based modeling. Software agents are typically virtual people, but can be any entity, such as a molecule, a disease organism, a gene, a person, a family or a census tract. Rules for agent action and interaction are described, translated into computer algorithms and programmed, and the system runs as a computer simulation. Common outputs of simulations are dynamic graphics and history files. History files can be inputs for the other methods below.
• Data mining. Databases can be analyzed, searching for deep relationships. Techniques include fuzzy logic, neural networks and genetic and cultural algorithms. The database elements can include both the nodes and links in an agent-based model. Deep relationships in an existing database can also used to develop the interaction rules for an agent-based model of the underlying system.
• Network analysis. Many complex systems can be described as a series of nodes, such as agents, linked together into a network (here, including but by no means limited to, computer communications networks. The structure of the network of links typically falls into one of several archetypes, such as "democratic," in which all nodes have approximately equal numbers of links, or "hierarchical," in which the distribution of nodes with n links commonly follow an inverse power law in n. The robustness of a network, or its ability to recover from disturbances, depends upon this structure. Data mining can be used on the structure of links from an agent-based model.

Complex Systems analysis typically involves multiple disciplines, and is applied in many areas, such as:

• Simulation of social systems such as marketing campaigns and terrorist networks
• Development of biological systems such as evolution or species survival
• Analysis of physical systems such as the electrical grid or traffic flow
• Modeling of disease progression

Conference: "Complexity and Business Analytics: Theory and Applications," Saturday October 14 2006 in the Undergraduate Library on the WSU campus. This is a cooperative program, with participation by WSU, U of M, UM Dearborn, Ford, GM, Chrysler and TACOM.

• Call for Papers
• Presentations:
  • Yakov Fradkin, Ford Motor Company, Automotive Assembly Line Sequencing Application
  • Ramakrishna Govindu and Ratna Chinnam, WSU, Methodological Frameworks for Multi Multi-Agent Supply Chain Modeling

Fall 2005 Seminar Series, supported by Department of Computer Science

• Carl Simon, University of Michigan, Complexity in Theory and Practice
• Phil Tuchinsky, Ford Motor Company, Analytics and Complexity Science at Ford Motor Company Research & Advanced Engineering
• Robert Reynolds, WSU, Simulating Ancient Societies - Computer modeling is helping unravel the archaeological mysteries of the American Southwest

Presentations to Complex Systems Group:

• Ratna Chinnam et al, Autonomous Diagnostics & Prognostics: Past Results and Future Challenges
• Yinlun Huang, Multiscale Complex Systems, Science and Engineering
• David Bowen, “Big Enchilada,” large-scale social change
• Allen Batteau, MAJOR; Multiple Agency and Jurisdiction Organized Response
• Ed Griffor, Real-Time Sensor Driven Non-Invasive Diagnostics for Biomedical Application
• Daniel Barth-Jones, Real-Time Sensor Driven Non-Invasive Diagnostics for Biomedical Application

We have a ListServ; complex@lists.wayne.edu (anyone can send a message to the list). To join, email David Bowen, Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, at d.r.bowen@wayne.edu.

NetLogo Study Group. This is a group working on the agent-based modeling tool NetLogo.

• NetLogo home page at Northwestern University
• Repast (agent-based modeling tool) home page at SourceForge

Current ListServ members (September 2006):

• Haluk Aktan, Civil Engineering
• Daniel Barth-Jones, Center for Healthcare Effectiveness Research
• Allen Batteau, Anthropology
• Erica Beecher-Monas, Law Instruction Units
• David Bowen, Interdiciplinary Studies
• Alan Bradley, Center for Urban Studies
• Dale Brandenburg, Education
• Rainelle Burton, Interdiciplinary Studies
• Ratna Chinnam, Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering
• Nancy Christ, VP Research
• Jason Clark, Electrical & Computer Engineering
• Harry Denman, Physics
• Alan Dombkowski, Institute for Environmental Health Sciences
• Daniel Drucker, Mathematics
• Darin Ellis, Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering
• Farshad Fotouhi, Computer Science (chair)
• Daniel Geller, Political Science
• Edward Griffor, Computer Science
• Loren Hoffman, Social Work
• Yinlun Huang, ChemEng&MatSci
• David Huff, part-time faculty in Business Administration / graduate student in Instructional Technology
• Thomas Jankowski, Institute of Gerontology (Associate Director, Research)
• Barry Lyons, Anthropology
• David Martin, Center for Urban Studies
• Alper Murat, Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering
• Elizabeth Nanas, Institute of Gerontology
• Ty Partridge, Psychology
• Fred Pearson, Political Science
• Robert Reynolds, Computer Science
• Al Saperstein, Physics
• Matt Seeger, Communications (chair)
• Robert Silver, Pharmacology, Physiology, Radiology and Biomedical Engineering
• Robert Sinclair, Geography
• Chin-An Tan, Engineering
• Lee Wurm, Psychology
• Hongwei Zhang, Computer Science
   

Our group is actively seeking others within WSU, both to join in our planning, and to participate in the projects we are working on. Roughly, our goals are

1. An on-campus  workshop to connect those with projects to practitioners and tools
2. A graduate certificate program to train students, both to support research projects, and to prepare students for life after graduation, in academic and other organizations that are rapidly applying methods in Complex Systems in many areas.
3. Development of research proposals for external funding, including the establishment of a WSU center or institute, perhaps with a specific focus within Complex Systems.