Dynamic Modeling Online   Instructor, Bruce Hannon   Jubilee Professor, Liberal Arts and Sciences

Announcing a self-paced on-line course
CPSC 368 - Dynamic Modeling
Spring Semester 2003

About the On-Line Course
This course is asynchronous and self-paced, enabling students to fit course work into their schedule at their convenience. High quality Quicktime video lectures will be delivered over the web and provided on CD-ROM. The videos are rich with screen shots of model building using Stella software. The instructor--Professor Bruce Hannon--has taught dynamic modeling on the UIUC campus each year since 1985 and has authored three books on the subject. This course was originally designed at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) and then offered as a one week workshop in the College of ACES.  

About the Content
Dynamic modeling is a process of scientific thinking and extending our knowledge, aided by a machine. It allows one to formulate and revise scientific hypotheses and theories using logic and evidence. In the past, modeling was only possible by skilled mathematicians and those with access to supercomputers. With modern software and desktop computers, modeling is an art that can be practiced by all of us. The skills learned can be applied to any domain of knowledge; modeling is a truly inter-disciplinary skill.

Modeling with STELLA
STELLA is a powerful software package made easy through the use of a visual interface. Icons are used to display elements of a system and can be easily dragged, cloned and manipulated. Complex systems are rendered visually and the results of model runs are graphically displayed.