Paul Grobstein, Bryn Mawr College Department of Biology
Clare Congdon, Bryn Mawr College Computer Science Program

This info on the Web: http://mainline.brynmawr.edu/Courses/bio367/spring98

Professors:	Paul Grobstein	Clare Bates Congdon
Office:	106 Park Hall	331 Park Hall
Phone:	(526-)5098	(526-)5349
Email:	pgrobste@brynmawr.edu	ccongdon@brynmawr.edu
Office Hours:	Tuesday, 2pm-5pm	Tuesday, 2pm-5pm

Class Meeting Time:
Class: Th 2:00 - 5:00pm, 10 Park Science Building
Lab: T 2:00 - 5:00pm, 10 Park Science Building

Books:

• Games of Life , by Karl Sigmund
• Turtles, Termites, and Traffic Jams, by Mitchel Resnick
• Hidden Order, by John Holland
• Vehicles: Experiments in Synthetic Psychology, by Valentino Braitenberg

Online Student Journals

Mid-Semester Projects

Resources

Course Description:

The study of "complex sytems" relies the observation that the relatively simple interactions of relatively simple things can yield complex behavior.

Computers have made it possible to explore the consequences of relatively simple interactions of relatively simple things in a way never before possible. This new capability for observations is proving, in a wide variety of different disciplines, to make possible significant insights into phenomena long believed to be too complex for serious analysis. The objective of this course is to provide students with an introduction to the "complex systems" perspective, and an opportunity to make use of its underlying methodologies, explore its applicability in a variety of inquiries, and contribute to the ongoing development of general intuitions and understandings about complex phenomena.

Among the topics to be explored will be the distinction between linear and non-linear interactions, cellular automata, deterministic and non-deterministic behaviors, neural nets, and adaptive systems. Attention will also be given to different forms of computer programming as tools for exploring complex sytems. Programming topics include the distinction between procedural and object-oriented programming, and an overview of rule-based systems. Students will work both in a Macintosh and a Unix environment, and create materials accessible by the World Wide Web.

Material will be presented and discussed in a weekly three-hour meeting on Thursdays, with an additional three-hour Tuesday meeting for students to work on assignments, which will vary depending on the background and level of computer expertise of different students. In addition to weekly assignments, including the updating of a web-based course journal by each student, there will be two required longer projects, one due in the middle of the course and the other at the end. Each of the two longer projects will contribute one-third to the final course grade, with an additional third reflecting weekly assignments and in-class participation.

Biology Computer Science Bryn Mawr College

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