CISAB | 1997 Modeling Behavioral Systems Workshop

C E N T E R F O R T H E I N T E G R A T I V E S T U D Y O F A N I M A L B E H A V I O R

S T R A T E G I E S O F M O D E L I N G
B E H A V I O R A L S Y S T E M S
W O R K S H O P

7-8 November 1997
Indiana University
Bloomington, IN, USA

Indiana University has a strong tradition in the use of modeling and simulation tools to investigate living systems. The Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior (CISAB) is sponsoring a two day forum, "Strategies for Modeling Biological Systems" to bring together nationally recognized researchers. This workshop will focus on three aspects of modeling biological and behavioral systems: (1) specific strategies, (2) general approaches and tools, and (3) conceptual issues in modeling complex / dynamic systems.

Workshop organized by Dr. Jeffrey C. Schank & Dr. Shan D. Duncan and
sponsored by the Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior
with support from the National Science Foundation

Modeling is an inescapable feature of the process, practice, and strategies of science and yet there is considerable misunderstanding about the extent of its uses, its functions and applications in science. Depending on one's perspective and goals, a model can be a theory, a scientific law, a hypothesis, an experiment, an approximation, a graph, or a fact; and modeling is the process, practice, and strategies that produce scientific models. Thus, the design and analysis of an experimental hypothesis about the relationship between independent and dependent variables together with the specification of experimental parameters and implementations of manipulations is modeling. The application of statistics to a set of data in order to decide whether to accept or reject a hypothesis or to explore the data is modeling. The visual representation of data in order to discover relationships among variables and parameters or to support a hypothesis is modeling. The formulation of a system of differential equations with the aim of better understanding, predicting, or explaining the dynamics of a physical system is modeling. These diverse examples illustrate not only the ubiquity of modeling in science, but also the variety of strategies of modeling. Therefore, one aim of this workshop will be a deeper understanding of the variety of strategies used to model biological systems, illustrated by specific applications.

Another aim of this workshop begin with the premise that progress in science has and will continue to be facilitated by integrating strategies of modeling. From a historical perspective, the development of experimental strategies of inquiry were essential for progress in physics, but the integration of calculus into physics proved to be a turning point. More recently, the integration of statistical methods into the biological and social sciences has proven to be a turning point, facilitating hypothesis testing, exploration of data, and the generation of new hypotheses. Today, the development of computer tools and technologies have introduced and made increasingly available a variety of new modeling strategies. These new strategies by no means exclude traditional strategies of modeling. Indeed, traditional modeling strategies have become more available and practicable for general use through the development of increasingly powerful computers and sophisticated software. In other cases, genuinely new strategies have been made possible by the advent of new computer technologies, for example, individual-based modeling, genetic algorithms, and neural networks. Therefore, another aim of this workshop is a deeper understanding of how computer related tools and technologies can be integrated into research on biological systems and how these tools can further facilitate the integration of strategies of modeling.

To achieve these aims, this workshop will focus on the process, practice, and tools of modeling for both research and teaching. Experts from several disciplines (including: biology, psychology, physics, computer science, statistics, philosophy, history, and education) will be invited to share their perspectives on modeling by describing and demonstrating their modeling strategies and tools. In addition, there will be "tools" and "how to" workshops illustrating the use of different modeling strategies and tools. Presentations and workshops will not be merely lectures on modeling or modeling applied to particular biological systems or questions, but instead will be self-reflective case studies of modeling presented and demonstrated by practitioners of modeling.

The focus on the process, practice, and tools of strategies of modeling naturally divides into three general themes:

B A S I C Q U E S T I O N S
What is model a model? What are the different kinds of models? What are the characteristics of models? What things are modeled? Why do we model? Do models tell us anything "new" about the world? What are models good for? How do we evaluate models? What are the goals of modeling? When is an idealizing assumption acceptable and when is it not?

S T R A T E G I E S
What are strategies of modeling? How do we choose a strategy of modeling? How do we evaluate a strategy of modeling? What are the stages of modeling? What are the tradeoffs between realism, precision, and generality? How are complex systems modeled? How do different perspectives and questions (e.g., ecological, evolutionary, developmental, learning, physiological) determine a strategy of modeling? How can strategies of modeling be integrated?

T O O L S
What tools and techniques are available for different strategies of modeling and how are they applied to specific problems? What is the role of human-computer interfaces in modeling in both research and teaching? How can computer related tools promote integrative modeling strategies for research and learning?

Speakers will emphasize the process, practice, and tools of their strategies of modeling with emphasis on one or more of these themes. Speakers, where applicable, will also be encouraged to demonstrate the process and practice of modeling using computer tools in research or teaching. Workshops will emphasize "hands on" modeling for those interested in learning more about modeling and "tools" workshops will demonstrate tools available for modeling.

-- Jeff Schank & Shan Duncan, Organizers

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