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CT423/CT317 Now Available

The lecture handouts for the course Systems Theory are now available.

Programming Paradigms: Lecture Handouts Available

Lecture handouts for CT331 are now available for download. These will be available until all the class are registered on Blackboard.

NUI Galway Hardiman Research Scholarships

NUI Galway have just announced fully-funded four-year PhD scholarships, along with a list of potential supervisors, which offer excellent opportunities for suitably qualified individuals to pursue a postgraduate degree by research focused on the five key areas of research in which the University offers leading expertise.

If you are interested in simulation modelling of complex systems (agent-based, system dynamics or complexity science), and are seeking a potential supervisor in these related areas, please contact me by email.

As part of your application, you will have to provide a personal statement, which includes addressing a number of questions, for example:

  • Why do you wish to pursue a higher degree by research?
  • Why have you selected this research topic?
  • What are your particular strengths?
  • What projects, essays or other relevant research experience do you have?
  • Why have you selected this particular research supervisor?
  • Why have you selected NUI Galway as compared to other institutions available?
  • What are your longer term career plans and how would a Hardiman scholarship help you in achieving your goals?

For further information, follow this link.

SFI Investigators Programme 2012

Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) has just launched the call for proposals under the new Investigators Programme 2012.

The objective of the Investigators programme addresses areas of science, engineering and mathematics that demonstrably support and underpin enterprise competitiveness and societal development in Ireland.

For 2012, the programme comprises two streams: Investigator Projects and Investigator Awards.

For further information, follow this link.

Code Ninja App Development Competition

CodeNinja is an app development competition for students in Galway.

It’s designed to train and encourage students to be creative in the cultivation of their own tech ideas.

It is open to both individuals and groups that want to build web and mobile applications.

Click on Code Ninja to find out more…

Complex Systems and the Euro

Interesting article from Debora MacKenzie (New Scientist) on how the ideas of complexity can be used to explain the current Euro Crisis.

To quote from the article:

“All complex networks are governed by a balance between negative feedback, such as interest rates, which is stabilising, and positive feedback, such as the self-reinforcing erosion of trust in markets, which is destabilising, says physicist Len Fisher at the University of Bristol.”

For the ful article, check out the following link.

New Lecturing Handouts Now Available

Three new pages have been added to the site, and these will contain lecture handouts:

  1. Systems Theory/Systems Approach
  2. Programming Paradigms
  3. Perspectives in the Digital Age – Digital Media Class

Disclaimer Alert!

Addition examples are usually worked through at the lecture, so these slides in themselves are not sufficient in order to successfully cover the material.

Call for Papers: Healthcare Modeling

I received this via the INFORMS Healthcare Special Interest Group:

Call for Papers

Special Issue of Socio-Economic Planning Sciences

Health Care Modeling

Guest Editors:

Gregory Zaric, Ivey School of Business, Canada

Arielle Lasry, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA

Socio-Economic Planning Sciences is an international journal devoted to research on the application of quantitative models and techniques to important decision problems in the service and public sectors. Socio-Economic Planning Sciences will publish a special issue on health care modeling.

The goal of this special issue is to compile state-of-the-art research on health care, spanning modeling, theory, empirical studies, applications, and case studies. This special issue of Socio-Economic Planning Sciences encourages innovative contributions from various disciplines, including economics, engineering, operations research, and public policy on ways to improve health care services and health outcomes. This issue will consider a variety of health care modeling topics including but not limited to:

· Strategies for improving the efficiency and quality of healthcare delivery, improving access, and reducing health disparities

· Large scale healthcare operations challenges such as facility location, capacity expansion and skilled human resources planning

· Disease modeling in support of health policy, health technology assessments and technology adoption decisions

· Drug pricing and contracts between drug and vaccine purchasers and manufacturers

· Provision of health services in resource constrained countries, including prevention and treatment of neglected tropical diseases

· Financing of public sector health insurance programs

In light of the scope of SEPS, all papers must clearly demonstrate the public sector relevance of their contributions.

All manuscripts should be submitted electronically via the Elsevier Editorial System (EES) http://ees.elsevier.com/seps <http://ees.elsevier.com/seps> . You must select Health Care Modeling as the Article Type to make sure that your paper will be considered for the special issue. The submission deadline is January 1, 2012. The EES will open to submission in September 2011, and the co-editors will start processing the submissions at the beginning of January 2012. The plan is to publish the special issue in early 2013. Researchers from all relevant disciplines are invited to consider this special issue as an outlet to publish their quality work on this topic of increasing significance. Inquiries on the special issue can be directed to the guest editors, Greg Zaric (gzaric@ivey.uwo.ca <mailto:gzaric@ivey.uwo.ca> ) or Arielle Lasry (alasry@cdc.gov <mailto:alasry@cdc.gov> ).

C# .NET / Social Media Application: Project Placement Opportunity

The IT Department, in collaboration with a Galway-based internationally-traded software company, has a short-term placement opportunity for recent graduates.

Exciting programming opportunity in C# .NET and social media APIs.

For more information, contact jim.duggan@nuigalway.ie on or before Monday July 4th, 2011.

Revised Employment Control Framework for Higher Education Sector

Some welcome news for under-pressure departments at third level, and staff at the front line of teaching and research.

The HEA has just published a revised employment control framework for higher education in Ireland. Tom Boland, Chief Executive of the HEA writes:

“Since the restrictions in staffing levels were introduced to the higher education system in 2009, the number of staff across the sector has decreased by 1,361 (7%) resulting in ongoing annual savings of approximately €80m.  At the same time, staff salaries have been reduced and student numbers have increased by 15%.”

The main changes include categorisation of staff, transitional arrangements for research projects and promotions.

  • Double vision
    Scientists must ensure that they take the lead in the ethical debate surrounding the therapeutic use of stem cells derived from human clones. […]
  • Uncertain times
    Budgetary delays exacerbate dire outlook for US research. […]
  • Shades of grey
    It is risky to oversimplify science for the sake of a clear public-health message. […]
  • Pure hype of pure research helps no one
    Congressman Lamar Smith hopes to ‘improve’ peer review by adding a layer of accountability, but his bill aims at imaginary ideals, argues Daniel Sarewitz. […]
  • Ecology: Fish mismatch makes bears eat elk
    In bringing lake trout to Yellowstone National Park humans may have inadvertently triggered a cascade of changes with consequences for migratory elk.A team led by Arthur Middleton, then at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, looked at the long-distance effects of introducing lake trout […]