Uri Wilensky, designer and author of the NetLogo multi-agent modeling language, is Associate Professor of Learning Sciences and Computer Science at Northwestern University where he is also the founder and director of the Center for Connected Learning and Computer-Based Modeling (CCL). Since receiving his Ph.D. from the MIT Media Lab in 1993 under the supervision of Seymour Papert, Prof. Wilensky has directed several National Science Foundation research projects and has received the NSF Career Award. He has developed many software tools including multi-agent modeling languages, such as StarLogoT and NetLogo, and Participatory Simulation toolkits such as Calculator HubNet and Computer HubNet. These tools are designed to enable learners to create "embodied" simulations of complex phenomena and, through creating and exploring such simulations, deepen their understanding of core scientific concepts. Many of these tools are also in use by researchers across a wide variety of domains including the natural sciences, social sciences, business and medicine. By providing an easy to learn language for constructing models, Wilensky hopes to promote the sharing and critiquing of "glass-box" models in the scientific community.

Bill Rand is currently a post-doctoral researcher by the Northwestern Institiute of Complexity (NICO) under the supervision of Dr. Wilensky. In that capacity, Bill conducts research into the methodology and application of Agent-Based Modeling. With a background in philosophy and computer science, Bill's doctoral studies in Artificial Intelligence at the University of Michigan's Center for the Study of Complex Systems focused on the exploration of the behavior of evolutionary computation in dynamic environments under the guidance of Dr. John Holland and Dr. Rick Riolo. While at the University of Michigan, Bill also worked extensively developing ABMs of suburban sprawl and the integration of ABM and Geographic Information Systems technology. Bill is very interested in examining how multiple heterogenous individuals give rise to emergent patterns whose macro-structure affects the choices and evolution of the very same individuals. Bill has conducted several workshops on agent-based modeling and NetLogo, in particular, and looks forward to another rewarding workshop.

The rest of staff is yet to be determined.

Other CCL Staff