The Modeling Process: Challenges and
Complexities of Ecological Economic Applications
Dr. Alexey Voinov
Gund Institute for Ecological Economics and
Department of Computer Science
Date:
Time:
Location: 367 Votey
Abstract
Post Normal Science is the term used to stress that in highly complex systems, when facts are uncertain, values in dispute, decision stakes high and decisions urgent, there is no one correct, value-neutral solution. Most of the systems we study in Ecological Economics belong to this category. This creates certain challenges for the methods and techniques used to study these systems. How do we bridge the gap between what we can analyze and model, and what needs to be understood and decided about? How is the role of the modeler in this process, the human dimension of the modeling process? I will present some of the case studies in watershed analysis and landscape dynamics to illustrate the computational and methodological problems that we face.