Module overview
Simulation modelling plays an increasingly significant role across modern science and engineering, with the development of computational models becoming established practice in industry, consulting, and policy formulation. Computer scientists are often employed as modellers or software engineers to help in the model development & maintenance cycle. Therefore this is a current and future need for computer science graduates to have a grounding in both the philosophy of modelling in science and various modelling techniques.
This module will familiarise students with general knowledge about the role of modelling in science (with a particular emphasis on computational modelling), will discuss the process of model development and best practice in various stages in the model development cycle. A second (and larger) part of the module will provide a broad survey of the central modelling paradigms.
Throughout the module we will demonstrate how computer science techniques are used to develop models in the following domains:
- Information networks
- Design and management of infrastructure
- Epidemics
- Natural resource management
- Computational economics
- Collective robotics
- Online trading systems
- Climate and Earth system processes