Category: ABM

Come Work with Us: 2 Postdocs in Urban Simulation

Posted on by
The George Mason University Department of Geography and Geoinformation Science within the College of Science, has an immediate opening for two postdoctoral fellows (up to 2-years), subject to budgetary approval. These positions will be part of the “Urban simulation” project team conducting research as part of the DARPA’s “Ground Truth” program, a network of DARPA-funded teams across the USA. The GMU team is directed by Andreas Züfle, Dieter Pfoser, and Andrew Crooks and supported by Carola Wenk at Tulane University. George Mason University has a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of excellence and diversity among its faculty and staff, and strongly encourages candidates to apply who will enrich Mason’s academic and culturally inclusive environment.

Postdoc 1

Responsibilities:
The primary job responsibilities of this position consist of the design, development and refinement of an agent-based simulation framework for urban areas. Using the existing Multiagent Simulation Toolkit (MASON) platform (written in Java), new agent logic will have to be implemented, thus creating agents that use socially plausible rules for mobility and interaction with other agents. A main goal is to create computationally efficient agent logic, thus allowing millions of agents to make decisions, find shortest paths between locations, and interact with their simulated world at the same time. For this purpose, implemented algorithms will need to be highly parallelizable, thus allowing to scale simulation via distribution among computing clusters located at GMU and Tulane. The successful candidate will also supervise graduate-level research assistants, collaborate with fellow scholars, and promote the department’s accomplishments through publications, presentations, and other public events.

Required Qualifications:

  • Ph.D. in computer science, data science, or closely related field;
  • Strong programming skills in Java;
  • Excellent written communication skills demonstrated by prior publications;
  • A track record that demonstrates the ability to work well with interdisciplinary research teams.
Preferred Qualifications:
  • Solid knowledge of graph algorithms;
  • Experience with Agent-Based Modeling and social science simulation;
  • Experience in design and implementation of software systems.
Postdoc 2
Responsibilities:
The primary job responsibilities of this position will be the design of an agent-based model based on the first principles underlying human needs, social interactions, and mobility to define socially plausible causalities. This model will contribute towards the design, development and refinement of an agent-based simulation framework for urban areas. Using the existing Multiagent Simulation Toolkit (MASON) platform (written in Java), new agent logic will have to be implemented, thus creating agents that use socially plausible rules for mobility and interaction with other agents. The successful candidate will also supervise graduate-level research assistants, collaborate with fellow scholars, and promote the department’s accomplishments through publications, presentations, and other public events.

Required Qualifications:

  • Ph.D. in computer science, data science, or closely related field; 
  • Experience with Agent-Based Modeling and social science simulation; 
  • Excellent written communication skills demonstrated by prior publications; 
  • A track record that demonstrates the ability to work well with interdisciplinary research teams.
Preferred Qualifications:
  • Strong programming skills in Java;

More Information: https://jobs.gmu.edu/postings/42109

    Continue reading »
    ABM, MASON

    Come Work with Us: 2 Postdocs in Urban Simulation

    Posted on by
    The George Mason University Department of Geography and Geoinformation Science within the College of Science, has an immediate opening for two postdoctoral fellows (up to 2-years), subject to budgetary approval. These positions will be part of the “Urban simulation” project team conducting research as part of the DARPA’s “Ground Truth” program, a network of DARPA-funded teams across the USA. The GMU team is directed by Andreas Züfle, Dieter Pfoser, and Andrew Crooks and supported by Carola Wenk at Tulane University. George Mason University has a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of excellence and diversity among its faculty and staff, and strongly encourages candidates to apply who will enrich Mason’s academic and culturally inclusive environment.

    Postdoc 1

    Responsibilities:
    The primary job responsibilities of this position consist of the design, development and refinement of an agent-based simulation framework for urban areas. Using the existing Multiagent Simulation Toolkit (MASON) platform (written in Java), new agent logic will have to be implemented, thus creating agents that use socially plausible rules for mobility and interaction with other agents. A main goal is to create computationally efficient agent logic, thus allowing millions of agents to make decisions, find shortest paths between locations, and interact with their simulated world at the same time. For this purpose, implemented algorithms will need to be highly parallelizable, thus allowing to scale simulation via distribution among computing clusters located at GMU and Tulane. The successful candidate will also supervise graduate-level research assistants, collaborate with fellow scholars, and promote the department’s accomplishments through publications, presentations, and other public events.

    Required Qualifications:

    • Ph.D. in computer science, data science, or closely related field;
    • Strong programming skills in Java;
    • Excellent written communication skills demonstrated by prior publications;
    • A track record that demonstrates the ability to work well with interdisciplinary research teams.
    Preferred Qualifications:
    • Solid knowledge of graph algorithms;
    • Experience with Agent-Based Modeling and social science simulation;
    • Experience in design and implementation of software systems.
    Postdoc 2
    Responsibilities:
    The primary job responsibilities of this position will be the design of an agent-based model based on the first principles underlying human needs, social interactions, and mobility to define socially plausible causalities. This model will contribute towards the design, development and refinement of an agent-based simulation framework for urban areas. Using the existing Multiagent Simulation Toolkit (MASON) platform (written in Java), new agent logic will have to be implemented, thus creating agents that use socially plausible rules for mobility and interaction with other agents. The successful candidate will also supervise graduate-level research assistants, collaborate with fellow scholars, and promote the department’s accomplishments through publications, presentations, and other public events.

    Required Qualifications:

    • Ph.D. in computer science, data science, or closely related field; 
    • Experience with Agent-Based Modeling and social science simulation; 
    • Excellent written communication skills demonstrated by prior publications; 
    • A track record that demonstrates the ability to work well with interdisciplinary research teams.
    Preferred Qualifications:
    • Strong programming skills in Java;

    More Information: https://jobs.gmu.edu/postings/42109

      Continue reading »
      ABM, MASON

      AAG2018: Innovations in Urban Analytics

      Posted on by

      Call for Papers, AAG2018: Innovations in Urban Analytics

      We welcome paper submissions for our session at the Association of American Geographers Annual Meeting on 10-14 April, 2018, in New Orleans.

      Session Description

      New forms of data about people and cities, often termed ‘Big’, are fostering research that is disrupting many traditional fields. This is true in geography, and especially in those more technical branches of the discipline such as computational geography / geocomputation, spatial analytics and statistics, geographical data science, etc. These new forms of micro-level data have lead to new methodological approaches in order to better understand how urban systems behave. Increasingly, these approaches and data are being used to ask questions about how cities can be made more sustainable and efficient in the future.

      This session will bring together the latest research in urban analytics. We are particularly interested in papers that engage with the following domains:

      • Agent-based modelling (ABM) and individual-based modelling;
      • Machine learning for urban analytics;
      • Innovations in consumer data analytics for understanding urban systems;
      • Real-time model calibration and data assimilation;
      • Spatio-temporal data analysis;
      • New data, case studies, demonstrators, and tools for the study of urban systems;
      • Complex systems analysis;
      • Geographic data mining and visualization;
      • Frequentist and Bayesian approaches to modelling cities.

      Please e-mail the abstract and key words with your expression of intent to Nick Malleson (n.s.malleson@leeds.ac.uk) by 18 October, 2017 (one week before the AAG abstract deadline). Please make sure that your abstract conforms to the AAG guidelines in relation to title, word limit and key words and as specified at: http://annualmeeting.aag.org/submit_an_abstract. An abstract should be no more than 250 words that describe the presentation’s purpose, methods, and conclusions.

      For those interested specifically in the interface between research and policy, they might consider submitting their paper to the session “Computation for Public Engagement in Complex Problems” (http://www.gisagents.org/2017/10/call-for-papers-computation-for-public.html).

      Key Dates
      • 18 October, 2017: Abstract submission deadline. E-mail Nick Malleson by this date if you are interested in being in this session. Please submit an abstract and key words with your expression of intent.
      • 23 October, 2017: Session finalization and author notification.
      • 25 October, 2017: Final abstract submission to AAG, via the link above. All participants must register individually via this site. Upon registration you will be given a participant number (PIN). Send the PIN and a copy of your final abstract to Nick Malleson (n.s.malleson@leeds.ac.uk). Neither the organizers nor the AAG will edit the abstracts.
      • 8 November, 2017: AAG session organization deadline. Sessions submitted to AAG for approval.
      • 9-14 April, 2018: AAG Annual Meeting.
      Session Organizers
      Continue reading »
      AAG, ABM, Big Data, GeoComputation, GIS, Smart Cities, urban analytics, Urban Systems

      AAG2018: Innovations in Urban Analytics

      Posted on by

      Call for Papers, AAG2018: Innovations in Urban Analytics

      We welcome paper submissions for our session at the Association of American Geographers Annual Meeting on 10-14 April, 2018, in New Orleans.

      Session Description

      New forms of data about people and cities, often termed ‘Big’, are fostering research that is disrupting many traditional fields. This is true in geography, and especially in those more technical branches of the discipline such as computational geography / geocomputation, spatial analytics and statistics, geographical data science, etc. These new forms of micro-level data have lead to new methodological approaches in order to better understand how urban systems behave. Increasingly, these approaches and data are being used to ask questions about how cities can be made more sustainable and efficient in the future.

      This session will bring together the latest research in urban analytics. We are particularly interested in papers that engage with the following domains:

      • Agent-based modelling (ABM) and individual-based modelling;
      • Machine learning for urban analytics;
      • Innovations in consumer data analytics for understanding urban systems;
      • Real-time model calibration and data assimilation;
      • Spatio-temporal data analysis;
      • New data, case studies, demonstrators, and tools for the study of urban systems;
      • Complex systems analysis;
      • Geographic data mining and visualization;
      • Frequentist and Bayesian approaches to modelling cities.

      Please e-mail the abstract and key words with your expression of intent to Nick Malleson (n.s.malleson@leeds.ac.uk) by 18 October, 2017 (one week before the AAG abstract deadline). Please make sure that your abstract conforms to the AAG guidelines in relation to title, word limit and key words and as specified at: http://annualmeeting.aag.org/submit_an_abstract. An abstract should be no more than 250 words that describe the presentation’s purpose, methods, and conclusions.

      For those interested specifically in the interface between research and policy, they might consider submitting their paper to the session “Computation for Public Engagement in Complex Problems” (http://www.gisagents.org/2017/10/call-for-papers-computation-for-public.html).

      Key Dates
      • 18 October, 2017: Abstract submission deadline. E-mail Nick Malleson by this date if you are interested in being in this session. Please submit an abstract and key words with your expression of intent.
      • 23 October, 2017: Session finalization and author notification.
      • 25 October, 2017: Final abstract submission to AAG, via the link above. All participants must register individually via this site. Upon registration you will be given a participant number (PIN). Send the PIN and a copy of your final abstract to Nick Malleson (n.s.malleson@leeds.ac.uk). Neither the organizers nor the AAG will edit the abstracts.
      • 8 November, 2017: AAG session organization deadline. Sessions submitted to AAG for approval.
      • 9-14 April, 2018: AAG Annual Meeting.
      Session Organizers
      Continue reading »
      AAG, ABM, Big Data, GeoComputation, GIS, Smart Cities, urban analytics, Urban Systems

      Call for Papers – Computation for Public Engagement in Complex Problems

      Posted on by

      Call for Papers – Computation for Public Engagement in Complex Problems: From Big Data, to Modeling, to Action 

      We welcome paper submissions for our session(s) at the Association of American Geographers Annual Meeting on 9-14 April, 2018, in New Orleans.  

      Session Description: In line with one of the major themes of this conference, we explore the opportunities and challenges that geo-computational tools offer to support public engagement, deliberation and decision-making to address complex problems that link human, socioeconomic and biophysical systems at a variety of different spatial and temporal scales (e.g., climate change, resource depletion, and poverty). Modelers and data scientists have shown increasing interest in the intersection between science and policy, acknowledging that, for all the computational advances achieved to support policy and decision-making, these approaches remain frustratingly foreign to the public they are meant to serve. On one hand, there is a persistent gap in the public’s understanding of and reasoning about complex systems, resulting in unintended and undesirable consequences. On the other hand, there is significant public skepticism about the knowledge generated by the modeling community and its ability to inform policy and decision-making.

      We invite theoretical, methodological, and empirical papers that explore advances in geo-computational approaches, including part or all the process to address complex problems: from data collection and analysis, to the development and use of models, to supporting action with data analysis and modeling. We are interested in any work that contributes towards the overall goal of supporting public engagement and action around complex problems, including—but not limited to—the following topics:

      • epistemological perspectives; 
      • extracting behavioral rules from novel and established data sets; 
      • innovative applications of complex systems techniques, and 
      • addressing the challenge of complex systems model calibration and validation. 

      Please e-mail the abstract and key words with your expression of intent to Moira Zellner (mzellner@uic.edu) by October 18, 2017 (one week before the AAG abstract deadline). Please make sure that your abstract conforms to the AAG guidelines in relation to title, word limit and key words and as specified at: http://annualmeeting.aag.org/submit_an_abstract. An abstract should be no more than 250 words that describe the presentation’s purpose, methods, and conclusions.

       Timeline summary: 

      • October 18, 2017: Abstract submission deadline. E-mail Moira Zellner (mzellner@uic.edu) by this date if you are interested in being in this session. Please submit an abstract and key words with your expression of intent. 
      • October 23, 2017: Session finalization and author notification. 
      • October 25, 2017: Final abstract submission to AAG, via the link above. All participants must register individually via this site. Upon registration you will be given a participant number (PIN). Send the PIN and a copy of your final abstract to Moira Zellner. Neither the organizers nor the AAG will edit the abstracts. 
      • November 8, 2017: AAG session organization deadline. Sessions submitted to AAG for approval. 
      • April 9-14, 2018: AAG Annual Meeting.  

      Organizers:

      Continue reading »
      AAG, ABM, GeoComputation
      1 2 3 … 6