Awards, Prizes and Scholarships

[John Swanson]

This is a reminder of two prizes awarded by the UK System Dynamics Society.

The first is the Steer Davies Gleave prize, offered for the best piece of work that applies System Dynamics to a problem of wide public interest in the UK. The prize open to anyone living or working in the UK, and is offered for work carried out during the last two years (ie since September 2006).

The prize is £500.

The second prize is the Student prize, offered for the best piece of student work in system dynamics during a given year. The prize is free attendance at the annual UK System Dynamics meeting, a cash prize of £250, an opportunity to make a short presentation on the work at the meeting and a commemorative certificate.

Entries should be submitted to SDcomp@sdgworld.net or direct to me, by email. The closing date for both prizes is January 19th 2009. The winner will be chosen by the Policy Committee of the UK System Dynamics Society and announced at the next annual meeting of the society on 12th-13th February 2009.

Information about the prizes is available on the Chapter's website (http://www.systemdynamics.org.uk), or please contact me directly.

Many thanks

John Swanson
Associate
Steer Davies Gleave
28-32 Upper Ground, London SE1 9PD
d. +44 (0)20 7910 5542
m. +44 (0)78 7988 4963
t. +44 (0)20 7919 8500
f. +44 (0)20 7827 9850
e. John.Swanson@sdgworld.net
w. http://www.steerdaviesgleave.com

[Robert Eberlein]

Use this thread to announce both the availability, and conferring of Awards, Prizes and Scholarships.

[Robert Eberlein]

From: John Sterman

I'm delighted to report that Dennis Meadows has been awarded the 2009 Japan Prize for his pioneering work on sustainability using system dynamics. The Japan Prize "is awarded to people from all parts of the world whose original and outstanding achievements in science and technology are recognized as having advanced the frontiers of knowledge and served the cause of peace and prosperity for mankind....Each Japan Prize laureate receives a certificate of merit and a commemorative medal. A cash award of 50 million yen is also presented for each prize category....The Presentation Ceremony has been held in the presence of Their Majesties, the Emperor and Empress in Tokyo in April. The events are also attended by the Prime Minister, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President of House the Councillors, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, foreign ambassadors to Japan and about a thousand other guests, including eminent academics, researchers and representatives of political, business and press circles."

Dennis is recognized for his work on "Transformation towards a sustainable society in harmony with nature."

You can read about the prize at http://www.japanprize.jp/en/prize.html and the citation for Dennis at http://www.japanprize.jp/en/prize_this_ ... ize01.html

Congratulations to Dennis!

John Sterman

2009（25th）JAPAN PRIZE LAUREATES
Field : Transformation towards a sustainable society in harmony with nature
Dr. Dennis L. Meadows （U.S.A）
Photo
Date of Birth: June 7, 1942, (age 66)
Professor Emeritus of Systems Policy, University of New Hampshire
President, Laboratory for Interactive Learning
Achievement
Contribution towards a sustainable world as founded in the 1972 Report titled “The Limits to Growth”
Citation for the Award
Dr. Dennis L. Meadows served as Research Director for the project on “The Limits to Growth,” for the Club of Rome in 1972. Employing a system simulation model called “World3,” his report demonstrated that if certain limiting factors of the earth’s physical capacity - such as resources, the environment, and land - are not recognized, mankind will soon find itself in a dangerous situation. The conflict between the limited capacity of the earth and the expansion of the population accompanied by economic growth could lead to general societal collapse. The report said that to avert this outcome, it is necessary that the goals of zero population growth and zero expansion in use of materials be attained as soon as possible. The report had an enormous impact on a world that had continued to grow both economically and in population since World War II.
The report sparked a great debate worldwide about the value of the zero growth theory that it proposed. The report was extremely significant in that it sounded a loud alarm about global society’s urgent need for sustainable development, and it engendered broad interest throughout the world. Since its initial publication, Dr. Meadows has continued to study the causes and consequences of physical growth on a finite planet. He co-founded the Balaton Group, a famous environmental research network. He has published many educational games and books about sustainable development that are used around the world.
Together with his wife, the late Dr. Donella Meadows and Dr. J. Randers, he has twice co-authored updates to “ The Limits to Growth”, in 1992 and 2004. In these updates, an improved world model was used to point out that the limiting features of the earth's physical capacity, about which “ The Limits to Growth” had sounded a warning, have continued to deteriorate, and that the time left for solving the problem is growing short; the authors also urged that mankind not delay in taking the measures necessary to address the situation.
This series of reports, especially the first “The Limits to Growth,” presented the conflict between the earth’s physical limitations and the growth of mankind in clear, logical terms, and marked the beginning of mankind’s efforts to achieve a sustainable society. “The Limits to Growth” also became a major underpinning of “The Global 2000 Report to the President,” a famous report presented by a US presidential commission in 1980. Moreover, we may take note of the UN’s World Commission on the Environment and the Development (commonly known as the Brundlandt Commission). This commission is famous for a 1987 report titled “Our Common Future.” The Commission was created based on a proposal made by the Ad hoc Group on Global Environmental Problems, a deliberative body of the Japanese Government operated under the auspices of the Secretary of the Environment Agency. The Ad hoc Group’s establishment was inspired by “The Limits to Growth” and “The Global 2000 Report to the President.” Thus it could be said that Dr. Meadows’ “The Limits to Growth” provided the spark that ignited mankind’s movement towards sustainable development.
Based on the foundations established in “The Limits to Growth” over the past 30 years Dr. Meadows has consistently proposed, through model analyses, efforts aimed at forming a sustainable society. He has continued to exert a large influence on the entire world. This, it is believed, is highly praiseworthy and deserving of the 2009 Japan Prize, which is intended to honor contributions in the area of “Transformation towards a sustainable society in harmony with nature.”

[Gökhan Dogan]

I'm delighted to report that Professor Yaman Barlas received the 2008 best teaching award of Bogaziçi University. Details about the award can be found at the homepage of the society website:

http://www.systemdynamics.org/index.html

"Professor Yaman Barlas received the 2008 best teaching award of Bogaziçi University. Up to two faculty members from four main colleges are offered the award each year. Professor Barlas' affiliation is with the Industrial Engineering Department where he teaches simulation and system dynamics courses. This is the second time Yaman Barlas received this teaching excellence award, the first being in 2006."

Congratulations to Prof. Barlas!

Best,

Gokhan

[Andreas Groessler]

Dear SD colleagues and friends,

The new European Master programme in System Dynamics is now open for applications. The programme is unique: in a two-year programme, students will travel across Europe to learn about foundations of System Dynamics, its application to real world problems and the use of the methodology as a Group Decision Support System. The programme is offered by the University of Bergen (Norway), Lund University (Sweden), the University of Palermo (Italy) and Radboud University Nijmegen (the Netherlands). More information about the programme and the application procedure can be found at http://www.europeansystemdynamics.eu

Full scholarships on offer!
We want to emphasize that the programme has been selected by the prestigious Erasmus Mundus programme to award 10 full scholarships to non-EU students, 8 financial contributions to EU students, and 2 for students from Balkan/Turkey per year for the next five years. We would certainly appreciate it if you would bring this program and the scholarships to the attention of your students. Please note that the deadline for applications for the academic year 2010/2011 is: January, 1st, 2010. More information about the scholarships can also be found on the website.

We are looking forward to receive your students' applications!

In the meantime, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us either at: info@europeansystemdynamics.eu, or one of us personally.

Best regards and thanks, also on behalf of Pål Davidsen, Carmine Bianchi, and Mats Svensson,

Jac Vennix, Radboud University Nijmegen: j.vennix@fm.ru.nl
Andreas Grössler, Radboud University Nijmegen: a.grossler@fm.ru.nl

[Roberta Spencer]

Jorgen Randers was awarded the "Norwegian Academics Prize 2009" on November 11, 2009. He has been awarded the prize for his contribution to foster academic freedom, and his focus on the importance of knowledge for sound societal development. See: http://www.akademikerne.no/default.asp?V_ITEM_ID=46535

This is the second time this prestigious prize has been awarded. For forty years Randers, presently professor of Climate Strategy at the Norwegian School of Management, has researched environmental issues. Randers holds an MS in Physics from the University of Oslo and a PhD in Management from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston. He was first noticed internationally as co-author of the book Limits to Growth in 1972. Later, in the 1980s, he was President of the Norwegian School of Management. Recently he chaired the "Low Emissions Commission," appointed by the Norwegian Cabinet, reporting in 2006 on how Norway may reduce its climate emissions by two thirds before 2050.

The prize was awarded by Akademikerne, an umbrella union for employees with academic degrees (physicians, architects, engineers, economists, MBAs, etc.) having overall membership of about 150,000.

Congratulations Jorgen! Thanks to Bent Erik Bakken who provided the translation.

[Roberta Spencer]

2011 Edelman Award Presentations

Ken Cooper, Greg Lee, and colleagues were recognized by INFORMS as finalists in the 2011 Edelman Award competition for their application of system dynamics to improve project management at Fluor Corporation. The Edelman Award is the top prize in the field of operations management/management science. The work Ken, Greg and their colleagues have done was previously recognized by the System Dynamics Society with the Best Application Award, presented to them at the 2009 conference in Albuquerque. As a side note, this is the second time Ken Cooper has been recognized as an Edelman laureate -- the first time was in 1980, for his groundbreaking work applying system dynamics to project management in the dispute between Ingalls and the US Navy.

John Sterman writes "It's great to see system dynamics being applied to improve project management, not only to resolving disputes after projects have experienced difficulty. Congratulations to Ken, Greg and all their colleagues for this honor and for their great work."

Ed Roberts comments "As an 'SD old-timer' but long time admirer of your efforts and accomplishments in system dynamics, I congratulate you for once again being recognized for your pioneering work in proving that SD can be made to work, and work really effectively. Your original efforts in developing the project management modeling tools to a finished set of capabilities began at Pugh-Roberts and with your persistence achieved remarkable results for so many companies. It is great to see that you continue to achieve."

To view their presentation on the work, along with the work of the other finalists see:
https://live.blueskybroadcast.com/bsb/c ... 4&CAT=3075

[Enzo Bivona]

PhD Student Positions in “Model Based Public Planning, Policy Design, and Management”
at the University of Palermo - Italy

A PhD focused on SD modeling to support planning, policy design and management in Public Administration can give an important contribution to both develop new researchers in such a field and to provide Public Institutions with experts who are able to facilitate communication and learning processes in such contexts.

Network Universities
The Universities that take part in the Phd Programme are:
- The University of Bergen;
- the Radboud University of Nijmegen (School of Management),
- the Centre for Sustainability Studies of the Lund University,
- the Faculty of Economics of the University of Foggia.

PhD Positions
5 positions are available (3 with scholarship)

Application
The application form (together with the call) is available on the PhD web site:
http://www.ced4.it/pages/struttura/main ... 81b5547276

We're looking for valid and motivated people from all over the world. Apply now! http://www.ced4.it/pages/struttura/main ... 81b5547276

Deadline
Latest date for submission of application 2011-09-26

Contact persons
Carmine Bianchi, PhD Coordinator, email: carmine.bianchi@unipa.it or
Enzo Bivona, email: enzo.bivona@unipa.it

[Steffen Bayer]

This is a reminder of two prizes awarded by the UK Chapter of the International System Dynamics Society. The closing date for the next prize submissions is the 13th of January 2012. The winning submissions are chosen by the Policy Council of the UK Chapter of the System Dynamics Society and announced at the annual Gathering (9-10 February 2012).


Steer Davies Gleave Prize
The Steer Davies Gleave Prize for System Dynamics is open to anyone living or working in the UK, and is offered for work carried out during the last two years. The aim of this prize is to promote the use of System Dynamics to address real-world problems, and to raise awareness of System Dynamics by publicising examples of such good work. Please see the Chapter website for more information.


Student prize
We also wish to draw your attention to the Student Prize which is considered in the run up to the Gathering. Again, please see the website for information. If you are studying System Dynamics in the UK and have some work you would like to put forward we would welcome your submission.

For more details about the prizes please see the chapter website at http://www.systemdynamics.org.uk

[Carmine Bianchi]

The University of Palermo published the PhD Call related to the International PhD Research Program in “Model Based Public Planning, Policy Design, and Management” (Code 33), in collaboration with the University of Bergen, the Radboud University of Nijmegen (School of Management).

4 positions are available. 2 positions with scholarship and 2 without scholarship.

A foreign candidate has different alternatives on how to participate in the PhD selection procedure.

He/She can compete for the two scholarships provided – to all candidates – by the University of Palermo. In this case, the candidate is asked to participate to the written and oral texts in Palermo between Nov 5th and 23th 2012 (the exact date will be provided in due time). Based on the written and oral exams 4 candidates will be selected. Only the first 2 candidates, one of which must be a foreign candidate, will get the scholarship from the University of Palermo. The candidate listed 3th and 4th will be admitted in the PhD program without scholarship.

Alternatively, candidates could compete for one scholarship reserved to a foreign candidate by the University of Palermo. In this case, the selection of the candidate will be carried out through the evaluation of his/her cv, the research plan submitted and a web conference interview (for instance, via skype).

If the candidate has been already awarded a scholarship – for instance – from the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs or other Governments or Institutions, he/she may ask to apply for a so called “supernumerary position” (2 extra positions are available). In this case, the selection of candidates will be carried out through the evaluation of the cv, the research plan submitted and a web conference interview (for instance, via skype).

More info:
carmine.bianchi@unipa.it
enzo.bivona@unipa.it

http://www.ced4.it


Best,
Carmine Bianchi