NEW Spring 2010 opportunity for students
Interested in applying a systems lens to issues of global import? ◊ Want to sharpen your systems thinking and consulting skills by collaborating on projects with real-world applications? ◊ Join a studio class that pairs applied work with practical frameworks grounded in the system dynamics approach!
15.875 Applications of System Dynamics: Global Challenges
Prerequisite: 15.871; Units: 3-0-6
Offered: Full semester Spring 2010 (scheduled for W 4-7 pm)
In this studio-style class, students draw on system dynamics approaches to define and investigate in depth a specific challenge or opportunity important to a client or other stakeholder. The course pairs a consulting orientation with a system dynamics framing that both guides the process and informs our analytical tools and approach.
Projects. Teams work on specific projects related to complex challenges of global import. Possible areas include climate change, diabetes, sustainability, business models for access to global health, financial sector reforms, or performance of non-profit organizations.
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Collaboration with partners in industry, academia, or elsewhere is a key part of the course, and many projects will have local partners. Highly-motivated teams or team members are encouraged to apply for outside-class grant and travel funding, if relevant. There is no final exam. Our once-a-week format means that teams are expected to work with external partners weekly, generating content and experiences to share in class sessions.
Many MIT students benefit from international experiences and MIT’s global connections. With 15.875, you can build on these opportunities to develop insight into a real problem in an applied project pairing a global perspective with System Dynamics’ rigorous and practical approach.
Contact Professor Sastry: sastry@mit.edu; course administrator Shiba Nemat-Nasser shiba@mit.edu