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Complex Adaptive Systems
Interdepartmental Graduate Minor
The Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) minor provides graduate students with an understanding of the interrelationships among the various methodologies often collectively referred to as Artificial Life. Of special importance in the program is the interplay of biological principles and computer simulations in various fields including Economics, Engineering, Mathematics, and Biology.
Graduates understand the ways in which artificial life techniques may be applied to their major field of study. They have an appreciation and understanding of the cross-disciplinary aspects of artificial life techniques. Students who complete a minor in this graduate program are able to describe and report on various artificial life techniques as applied to many fields, even outside their own field of application.
Work in the CAS minor is offered for students pursuing any graduate degree. The primary cooperating departments are Economics; Computer Science; Electrical and Computer Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; Mathematics; Psychology; Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology; and Genetics, Development and Cell Biology.
Each student’s Masters Program of Study (POS) must include at least 9 CAS relevant course credits chosen in consultation with the student’s POS committee and the CAS program, plus two credits (one credit each time taken) of the CAS seminar and three credits of CAS 503 Complex Adaptive Systems Concepts and Techniques. Each student’s Ph.D. POS must include at least 12 CAS relevant courses credits chosen in consultation with the student’s POS committee and the CAS program, plus two credits (one credit each time taken) of the CAS seminar and three credits of CAS 503 Complex Adaptive Systems Concepts and Techniques. Ph.D. students who also minored in CAS at the master’s level must take one additional CAS relevant course (3 cr.) and two additional credits of CAS seminar. Courses that satisfy CAS requirements may also be used to satisfy major requirements if such “double counting” is acceptable to the major program.
Interested students may contact the chairperson of the advisory committee for complete lists of courses and of CAS faculty members.
Courses
Courses primarily for graduate students, open to qualified undergraduates:
CAS 502. Complex Adaptive Systems Seminar.
(Cross-listed with COM S). (1-0) Cr. 1.
F.S.
Prereq: Admission to CAS minor
Understanding core techniques in artificial life is based on basic readings in complex adaptive systems. Techniques of complex system analysis methods including: evolutionary computation, neural nets, agent based simulations (agent based computational economics). Large-scale simulations are to be emphasized, e.g. power grids, whole ecosystems.
CAS 503. Complex Adaptive Systems Concepts and Techniques.
(Cross-listed with COM S). (3-0) Cr. 3.
S.
Prereq: Admission to CAS minor or related field
Survey of complex systems and their analysis. Examples are drawn from engineering, computer science, biology, economics and physics.