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Global Food Institute

 

Building System Dynamics Connections

Faculty and staff across GW use systems thinking and modeling approaches to investigate complex challenges related to food and agriculture. Building Systems Dynamic Connections (BSDC) brings the faculty and staff together to foster collaboration and share each other's work.

What is Systems Modeling? 

Systems modeling reflects a collection of approaches to map and identify strategies to solve complex problems, has been applied by several GW researchers to 

  • address societal inequities; 
  • close place-based racial wealth gaps;
  • develop solutions for countering effects of climate change; 
  • examine water, food, and energy systems; and 
  • understand decision-making processes.

The demand for systems modeling is growing within GWU and globally. To meet the growing demand for systems modeling, GWU is cultivating a cross-disciplinary systems modeling community and developing a student-to-practitioner pipeline that supports students and staff to learn and apply systems modeling skills. Systems modeling is a proven tool for projects that range from the assessment of complex systems to participatory community and organizational planning. 

 

Dr Sydney Pryor and Team after Seminar series 1

  Seminar Series 

2024

In 2024, there were sessions introducing systems modeling to set a foundation for this work. Find the recording of those sessions and associated slides below. 

Seminar Recordings and Slides
  • June 2024: Intro to Systems Thinking and Causal Loop Diagrams (recording, slides)
  • July 2024: Group Model Building and Stakeholder Engagement (recording, slides)
  • August 2024: Foundations of Quantitative Modeling and Analysis (recording, slides)
  • October 2024: Applications of Systems Modeling to Policy Analysis and Development (recording, slides)
2025

In 2025, sessions will showcase specific research around systems modeling. Find more information about upcoming sessions below. After each session, the recording and slides will be available.

Upcoming Sessions

Sessions in 2025 will take place monthly on Thursdays from Noon to 1 pm Eastern. 

February 20, 2025: 

  • Presenter: Dr. Erica L. Gralla, Associate Professor, Department of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and GFI Affiliate Faculty
  • Topic: System Dynamics for International Development: Applications in Agricultural Markets in Uganda

March 27, 2025

  • Presenter: Guest Speaker Hesam Mahmoudi, Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard Medical School)
  • Topic: Systems Modeling in Global Health 

April 17, 2025

  • Presenter: Caitlin Grady, Associate Professor, Engineering Management and Systems Engineering
  • Topic: TBD

If you have any questions or would like to share ideas for upcoming sessions and/or collaborations, please reach out to Sydney Pryor  [email protected]. Feel free to invite others who might be interested!

  Research Toolbox
Modeling Softwares:
Libraries of Existing Models:
  • NetLogo Models Library: NetLogo Models Library (northwestern.edu)
  • isee systems Sample Model Library and Exchange: isee Exchange™ (iseesystems.com), isee Exchange™ (iseesystems.com)
  • CoMSES Computational Model Library: CoMSES Net Computational Model Library

  • MetaSD Model Library: Model Library - MetaSD

     

    This research  is led by GW faculty from diverse disciplines who are interested in addressing societal inequities and have had hands-on experience with SD modeling, community building, and skills development.

    Relevant Faculty

    Dr. William Dietz, Director of Research and Policy for the Global Food Institute, Director of STOP Obesity Alliance, and Professor, Department of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences

    Dr. Uriyoán Colón-Ramos, Associate Professor, Department of Global Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, and GFI Affiliate Faculty

    Dr. Wendy Ellis, Assistant Professor; Director, Center for Community Resilience; and Director, Institute for Racial, Ethnic and Socioeconomic Equity

     Dr. Kuan-Lung Daniel Chen, Assistant Research Professor, Global Health Department Milken Institute School of Public Health, and the Associate Director of Research in the Center for Community Resilience.

    Dr. Michael Long, Associate Professor, Prevention and Community Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health

     Dr. Erica L. Gralla, Associate Professor, Department of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and GFI Affiliate Faculty

    Dr. Caitlin Grady, Assistant Professor of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering

    Dr. William Chernicoff, Adjunct Professor who actively teaches SD modeling at the School of Engineering and Applied Science.

    Sydney Pryor, Postdoctoral Research Associate and Professional Lecturer

    For GW students interested, below are classes related to systems modeling.

    EMSE 6740. Systems Thinking and Policy Modeling I
    GFI 3005. Systems Thinking for Sustainable Agriculture Food System Transformation