System Dynamics 2016 - 34th International Conference of the System Dynamics Society

The annual System Dynamics conference brings together people from around the world to share research and application results and to build the community of those active in the field. The conference theme is “Black Swans and Black Lies: System Dynamics in the Context of Randomness and Political Power-play.” System Dynamics has proven useful to analyze dynamically complex economic, social, and environmental issues. It is an effective methodology for designing robust systems and policies. We hope to challenge this usefulness in two areas: fi rst, when systems are prone to be affected by random events that we were not able to include in our models; second, when System Dynamics models are not used in a fair or transparent way. An example for the former is our tendency to model averages that fail to account for unlikely but important outlier effects that can both boom or bust an organization. The intentional ignorance of modeling results in bargaining processes when they would limit a negotiator’s power provide an example of the latter. With a focus on how System Dynamics modeling can be used to understand resilience against shocks and to support implementation of policies, we address major epistemological and teleological questions.
There will be plenary presentations showcasing important work in the field, along with parallel and poster sessions, making available the most current research, applications, and work in progress. There is a full day of skill-building workshops covering a range of topics from basic software use to advanced analysis techniques. In addition, there will be interest group sessions, student colloquia, the modeling assistance workshop, vendor displays, demonstrations, and more. The conference schedule will provide time for social and professional interaction.
The Society’s annual international conference is held alternately in North America and Europe, with occasional appearances in Asia and the Pacific Rim. These conferences, and the meetings of local chapters and interest groups, introduce newcomers to the field, keep practitioners aware of current developments, and provide unparalleled networking opportunities.
Who should attend?
Academics: Communicate your research results and find out about research being conducted around the world.
Consultants: Demonstrate the power of system dynamics in client work and see what others are doing.
Practitioners: Show what is being done in your organization and learn what is happening elsewhere.
Students: Share your research, get feedback, and discover research directions and collaborators.
Educators: Let people know what you are doing and see what is being done with students at all levels.
Managers and Policy Makers: Discover new directions for your organization.
Why Attend?
Network with hundreds of other students, academics, consultants and professionals involved in System Dynamics.
Receive current updates on a range of topics, from leaders and expert practitioners.
Learn about the particular benefits and uses of different modeling approaches.
Meet the sponsors and exhibitors and learn about their new developments.
Progress your career or search for job candidates at the Red Ribbon Event.
Learn about the latest work and research and see its implications for you.
Enhance your skill set with workshops and see the work of luminaries.
Explore and debate topics, discuss in formal and informal settings.
Present your research, project, or product and get feedback.
Promote your work.