Designing & Constructing Models With Multi-Agent Languages
CS 360 (undergrad) and CS 460 (Grad)

Course Description

This is a hands-on projects course. All students will design and implement multi-agent models in the NetLogo language.

This course will begin with an introduction to the multi-agent language NetLogo. Students will design and implement several NetLogo projects. Students will also work on HubNet collaborative simulations. Some students may want to work on language development projects to expand the capabilities of NetLogo.

The course is designed for two main classes of students:
1. Computer Science undergraduates who would like to learn about multi-agent languages.
2. Natural Science and Social Science students (both undergraduate and graduate) who have content expertise and would like to learn how to build multi-agent models of their content domain.

The course is also open to graduate students at the 495 level. Graduate students will be expected to do additional project work.

NetLogo is a programmable modeling environment for simulating natural and social phenomena. It is particularly well suited for modeling complex systems developing over time. Modelers can give instructions to hundreds or thousands of independent "agents" all operating in parallel. This makes it possible to explore the connection between the micro-level behavior of individuals and the macro-level patterns that emerge from the interaction of many individuals. NetLogo lets users run simulations and "play" with them, exploring their behavior under various conditions. It is also an "authoring tool" which enables users (both novices and experts) to create their own models. NetLogo is simple enough that students and teachers can easily run, explore and build their own simulations. NetLogo has extensive documentation and tutorials for all of its features. It also comes with a Models Library, which is a large collection of pre-written simulations that can be used and modified. These simulations address many content areas in the natural and social sciences, including biology and medicine, physics and chemistry, mathematics and computer science, and economics and social psychology. Several model-based inquiry curricula using NetLogo are currently under development.

HubNet is an extension of NetLogo that enables multiple users to collaborate and participate in a simulation. In a HubNet activity, each participant controls an agent or set of agents in a larger model. Everyone can see the world with all its agents and can control and react accordingly. Several HubNet activities are included in the models library.

The class will consist primarily of a structured environment to support student projects. It is expected that class members will support each other and will make heavy use of the class mailing list (mam@ccl.northwestern.edu). Questions about NetLogo syntax, semantics and modeling idioms and efficiency should go to that list and class members are expected to read each others' questions and reply.