Simulation of the research process

This paper presents first steps towards the development of a formal model of the research process. We evaluate the use of simulation as a tool for the evaluation of research strategies in nascent research organizations faced with the absence of significant data. We start by modeling the research process by using the ”Publish or Perish” paradigm, a well-known criteria of evaluation of research. We demonstrate the use of this model for researchers to evaluate the effects of selection of a particular publishing venue over time. We then perform various experiments using this basic idea. By means of various visualization techniques, we see how researchers with similar publishing policies might self-organize in the form of groups. We also evaluate the effects of giving higher weights to articles in journals and see where the effects of publishing in these venues breaks even for both top as well as average acceptance rates

Verification and Validation of Agent Based Simulations using the VOMAS (Virtual Overlay Multi-agent System) Approach

—Agent Based Models are very popular in a number of different areas. For example, they have been used in a range of domains ranging from modeling of tumor growth, immune systems, molecules to models of social networks, crowds and computer and mobile self-organizing networks. One reason for their success is their intuitiveness and similarity to human cognition. However, with this power of abstraction, in spite of being easily applicable to such a wide number of domains, it is hard to validate agent-based models. In addition, building valid and credible simulations is not just a challenging task but also a crucial exercise to ensure that what we are modeling is, at some level of abstraction, a model of our conceptual system; the system that we have in mind. In this paper, we address this important area of validation of agent based models by presenting a novel technique which has broad applicability and can be applied to all kinds of agent-based models. We present a framework, where a virtual overlay multi-agent system can be used to validate simulation models. In addition, since agent-based models have been typically growing, in parallel, in multiple domains, to cater for all of these, we present a new single validation technique applicable to all agent based models. Our technique, which allows for the validation of agent based simulations uses VOMAS: a Virtual Overlay Multi-agent System. This overlay multi-agent system can comprise various types of agents, which form an overlay on top of the agent based simulation model that needs to be validated. Other than being able to watch and log, each of these agents contains clearly defined constraints, which, if violated, can be logged in real time. To demonstrate its effectiveness, we show its broad applicability in a wide variety of simulation models ranging from social sciences to computer networks in spatial and non-spatial conceptual models

Stronger Together: Nonsummativity and the Grand Valley State University Knowledge Market

This article discusses the history, purpose, and services that make up the Grand Valley State University Knowledge Market. The Knowledge Market is made up of faculty and staff directors leading four unique groups of specialized student-consultants who collaborate with their peers. While each service has a unique specialty, The Knowledge Market unites to guide students through the collective academic processes of researching, writing, speaking, and developing visual aids. The Knowledge Market is partnered with the university library in mission, service, and location. It provides a unique and replicable model that can be applied at a variety of campuses who have a need and desire for the communication center to synergize with the similar campus services and the bedrock of campus communities—the university library

Performance Optimization and Statistical Analysis of Basic Immune Simulator (BIS) Using the FLAME GPU Environment

Agent-based models (ABMs) are increasingly being used to study population dynamics in complex systems such as the human immune system. Previously, Folcik et al. developed a Basic Immune Simulator (BIS) and implemented it using the RePast ABM simulation framework. However, frameworks such as RePast are designed to execute serially on CPUs and therefore cannot efficiently handle large simulations. In this thesis, we developed a parallel implementation of immune simulator using FLAME GPU, a parallel ABM simulation framework designed to execute of Graphics Processing Units(GPUs). The parallel implementation was tested against the original RePast implementation for accuracy by running a simulation of immune response to a viral infection of generic tissue cells. Finally, a performance benchmark done against the original RePast implementation demonstrated a significant performance gain 13X for the parallel FLAME GPU implementation

Towards A Novel Unified Framework for Developing Formal, Network and Validated Agent-Based Simulation Models of Complex Adaptive Systems

Literature on the modeling and simulation of complex adaptive systems (cas) has primarily advanced vertically in different scientific domains with scientists developing a variety of domain-specific approaches and applications. However, while cas researchers are inherently interested in an interdisciplinary comparison of models, to the best of our knowledge, there is currently no single unified framework for facilitating the development, comparison, communication and validation of models across different scientific domains. In this thesis, we propose first steps towards such a unified framework using a combination of agent-based and complex network-based modeling approaches and guidelines formulated in the form of a set of four levels of usage, which allow multidisciplinary researchers to adopt a suitable framework level on the basis of available data types, their research study objectives and expected outcomes, thus allowing them to better plan and conduct their respective research case studies. Firstly, the complex network modeling level of the proposed framework entails the development of appropriate complex network models for the case where interaction data of cas components is available, with the aim of detecting emergent patterns in the cas under study. The exploratory agent-based modeling level of the proposed framework allows for the development of proof-of-concept models for the cas system, primarily for purposes of exploring feasibility of further research. Descriptive agent-based modeling level of the proposed framework allows for the use of a formal step-by-step approach for developing agent-based models coupled with a quantitative complex network and pseudocode-based specification of the model, which will, in turn, facilitate interdisciplinary cas model comparison and knowledge transfer. Finally, the validated agent-based modeling level of the proposed framework is concerned with the building of in-simulation verification and validation of agent-based models using a proposed Virtual Overlay Multiagent System approach for use in a systematic team-oriented approach to developing models. The proposed framework is evaluated and validated using seven detailed case study examples selected from various scientific domains including ecology, social sciences and a range of complex adaptive communication networks. The successful case studies demonstrate the potential of the framework in appealing to multidisciplinary researchers as a methodological approach to the modeling and simulation of cas by facilitating effective communication and knowledge transfer across scientific disciplines without the requirement of extensive learning curves

Stronger together: Nonsummativity and the Grand Valley State University Team

This article discusses the history, purpose, and services that make up the Grand Valley State University Knowledge Market. The Knowledge Market is made up of faculty and staff directors leading four unique groups of specialized student-consultants who collaborate with their peers. While each service has a unique specialty, The Knowledge Market unites to guide students through the collective academic processes of researching, writing, speaking, and developing visual aids. The Knowledge Market is partnered with the university library in mission, service, and location. It provides a unique and replicable model that can be applied at avariety of campuses who have a need and desire for the communication center to synergize with the similar campus services and the bedrock of campus communities—the university library

Emergence of a Snake-Like Structure in Mobile Distributed Agents: An Exploratory Agent-Based Modeling Approach

The body structure of snakes is composed of numerous natural components thereby making it resilient, flexible, adaptive, and dynamic. In contrast, current computer animations as well as physical implementations of snake-like autonomous structures are typically designed to use either a single or a relatively smaller number of components. As a result, not only these artificial structures are constrained by the dimensions of the constituent components but often also require relatively more computationally intensive algorithms to model and animate. Still, these animations often lack life-like resilience and adaptation. This paper presents a solution to the problem of modeling snake-like structures by proposing an agent-based, self-organizing algorithm resulting in an emergent and surprisingly resilient dynamic structure involving a minimal of interagent communication. Extensive simulation experiments demonstrate the effectiveness as well as resilience of the proposed approach. The ideas originating from the proposed algorithm can not only be used for developing self-organizing animations but can also have practical applications such as in the form of complex, autonomous, evolvable robots with self-organizing, mobile components with minimal individual computational capabilities. The work also demonstrates the utility of exploratory agent-based modeling (EABM) in the engineering of artificial life-like complex adaptive systems

Централізоване інформаційне веб-орієнтоване освітнє середовище України

The modern development of science and technology has provided high quantity of information. This information must be systemized and classified. For taxonomization of educational materials, it was proposed to use existing graph-generators and graph-visualizers of the TODOS IT platform. A separate aspect of the TODOS IT platform is the possibility of using a centralized web-oriented learning environment. Creation of the system and transdisciplinary knowledge is a problem of modern education, which can be solved by creating a centralized web-oriented educational environment. Using this approach is an important part of the learning process. Such a centralized web-oriented environment based on the ontological approach involves filling, adaptive educational services with information resources that reflect the conceptual system of a particular discipline. One of the systems providing not only collection of information but include its systemizing is centralized web-oriented educational environment based on Ontology4 system. Ontology 4 use elements of the TODOS. The paper presents specific developments of one centralized web-oriented educational environment can be used to teach different subjects such as biology, chemistry, Ukrainian language and literature, using the STEM approach.Сучасний розвиток науки і техніки забезпечив велику кількість інформації. Ця інформація повинна бути систематизованою та класифікованою. Для таксономізації навчальних матеріалів було запропоновано використовувати існуючі графічні генератори та графічні візуалізатори ІТ-платформи TODOS. Окремим аспектом ІТ-платформи TODOS є можливість використання централізованого веб-орієнтованого середовища навчання. Створення системи та трансдисциплінарних знань - це проблема сучасної освіти, яку можна вирішити, створивши централізоване веб-орієнтоване освітнє середовище. Використання цього підходу є важливою частиною навчального процесу. Таке централізоване веб-орієнтоване середовище, засноване на онтологічному підході, передбачає наповнення адаптивних освітніх послуг інформаційними ресурсами, які відображають концептуальну систему певної дисципліни. Однією із систем, що забезпечує не тільки збір інформації, але й включає її систематизацію, є централізоване веб-орієнтоване освітнє середовище на основі системи Ontology4. Онтологія 4 використовує елементи TODOS. У статті представлені конкретні розробки одного централізованого веб-орієнтованого освітнього середовища, яке можна використовувати для викладання різних предметів, таких як біологія, хімія, українська мова та література, використовуючи підхід STEM