Building a Modeling Community

Abstract

This chapter summarizes the case for the use of models and concepts developed in this book to investigate the behavior of biological and ecological systems. The modeling approach that we chose is dynamic—the systems that we modeled are dynamic ones, and so is the learning process that accompanies model development and model runs is a dynamic one. Dynamic modeling can help shape scientific inquiry and generation of new knowledge, especially when the challenges and questions at hand require insights from multiple disciplines, perspectives, and people.

I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.

(Mother Teresa)

A save-disabled version of STELLA and the computer models of this book are available at www.iseesystems.com/modelingdynamicbiologicalsystems.