Modelling and Simulation

Studiewijzer 2019/2020

Globale inhoud

The course provides a detailed introduction to modelling and simulation techniques commonly used in the earth and natural sciences. The course is primarily intended for students from the Future Planet Studies bachelor’s program but is equally useful for those wishing to apply modelling and simulation techniques in related fields. Students in this course are required to have had experience in basic programming in Matlab, and acquaintance with classical mathematical models in geo-ecosystems or related fields.

Studiemateriaal

Literatuur

• Suggested reading material will be provided together with the weekly assignments. In some cases the material provided will be necessary for completing the worksheets, in other cases it will be provided as extra enrichment and/or extra support.
   

Syllabus

Practicummateriaal

• Weekly assignments (6) will be published on Tuesdays with the hands-on activities the students need to carry out that week.
  
  

Software

• Matlab

• Students will need to bring their personal laptops to the lectures, to the practicals and to the exam.  
  Matlab needs to be installed before the first lecture!
   

Overig

Leerdoelen

• The students will be acquainted with a range of simulation and modelling techniques, including partial differential equations and cellular automata; by the end of the course students will be able to apply these for solving simple scientific problems.
• The students will develop practical expertise, including experience in the process of abstracting real systems into different modeling frameworks; by the end of the course students will be able to "translate" a true scientific question from the natural and physical world into a model.
• The students will gain foundations for solving scientific problems through the application of models and simulation; by the end of the course students will be able to logically explain the value of one approach over another depending on the particular scientific question they are presented with; in terms of the level of detail they believe is important and the appropriateness of one modelling framework over another.
• The hands-on modelling exercises will support expansion of the students’ ability to carry out critical and creative scientific research; by the end of the course students will be able to critically evaluate the approach and conclusions of a true scientific study they are presented with.

Onderwijsvormen

• Hoorcollege
• Laptopcollege
• Zelfstudie

Modelling and Simulation in the earth and natural sciences require both skills (i.e., programming, developing algorithms, and solving equations) and techniques (i.e., the ability to recognise what is important and needs to be represented in the model, and what can and should be left out). Because this is a course designed for beginners, focus is given to both aspects— the technical side of constructing models and the ability to identify appropriate degrees of abstraction. 

Because there is no absolute set of rules that can universally be prescribed for insuring successful modelling results; students will be confronted with realistic and concrete hands-on modelling exercises throughout the course through which they can gain proficiency in the process of abstracting real systems into models and other practical expertise relevant to modelling and simulation. This will also support the development of each student's personal understanding and intuition, providing them with foundations for critical and creative problem solving in the natural sciences through simulation and modelling.

Verdeling leeractiviteiten

Aanwezigheid

Aanwezigheidseisen opleiding (OER-B):

• In geval van een practicum is de student verplicht ten minste 90% van de practicumbijeenkomsten bij te wonen en zich op deze bijeenkomsten terdege voor te bereiden, tenzij anders aangegeven in de studiehandleiding of studiewijzer van het vak. Indien de student minder dan 90% heeft bijgewoond dient het practicum opnieuw te worden gevolgd.
• In geval van werkgroepbijeenkomsten is de student verplicht tenminste 90% van de werkgroepbijeenkomsten bij te wonen en zich op deze bijeenkomsten terdege voor te bereiden, tenzij anders aangegeven in de studiehandleiding of studiewijzer van het vak. Indien de student minder dan 90% heeft bijgewoond, kan het vak niet worden afgerond.
  

Aanvullende eisen voor dit vak:

• Attendance in the lectures is required unless special approval for absence has been given.
• Practical lessons: each student needs to be present and well prepared for at least 75% of the practical classes. In case the student missed more than 25% of the practical classes, he/she has to re-take the practical unless the exam committee decides on providing a practical-replacing assignment.
• In special cases, a student can receive an exemption for (part of) the obligatory components of a course. The exam committee judges the requests for an exemption.
• Students who have completed their weekly assignment and submitted it before the practical of Thursday that week, have permission not to attend the Thursday practical that week, unless students have explicitly been asked to be present there (announcements will be posted on Canvas)

Toetsing

Student final grade will be based on the score of the final exam and on the 6 assignments handed in by the students throughout the course.  The final grade will be based on a weighted average between the assignments submitted throughout the course (1/3) and the final exam (2/3): the score of the exam cannot be less than 4.5, and the assignments will only be included in the final grade if: a) the exam mark falls between 4.5 and 5.5, and b), if the final grade after inclusion of the assignments is higher. In such cases the final grade will never be higher than 6.0.

Studenten die het vak al eerder hebben gevolgd

For students that are enrolled in the course for the 2nd/3rd/etc. time, it is still mandatory to complete all components

Inzage toetsing

De manier van inzage wordt via de digitale leeromgeving gecommuniceerd.

Up to 20 working days after the announcement of the result students have the right to inspect their work. Students can make an appointment with the course coordinator, Dr. Artzy-Randrup at Yael.Artzy@UvA.nl

Opdrachten

Work assignment #1: Heat flow

• The assignment has to be submitted individually, students are allowed to discuss with each other but they must not provide final solutions or scripts to each other. 

Work assignment #2: Rainfall interception

• The assignment has to be submitted individually, students are allowed to discuss with each other but they must not provide final solutions or scripts to each other. 

Work assignment #3: Groundwater flow

• The assignment has to be submitted individually, students are allowed to discuss with each other but they must not provide final solutions or scripts to each other. 

Work assignment #4: Erosion

• The assignment has to be submitted individually, students are allowed to discuss with each other but they must not provide final solutions or scripts to each other. 

Work assignment #5: Sand pile

• The assignment has to be submitted individually, students are allowed to discuss with each other but they must not provide final solutions or scripts to each other. 

Work assignment #6: Vegetation patterns

• The assignment has to be submitted individually, students are allowed to discuss with each other but they must not provide final solutions or scripts to each other. 

Fraude en plagiaat

Dit vak hanteert de algemene 'Fraude- en plagiaatregeling' van de UvA. Hier wordt nauwkeurig op gecontroleerd. Bij verdenking van fraude of plagiaat wordt de examencommissie van de opleiding ingeschakeld. Zie de Fraude- en plagiaatregeling van de UvA: http://student.uva.nl

Weekplanning

Rooster

Het rooster van dit vak is in te zien op DataNose.

Aanvullende informatie

Early requirements:

1) Experience with basic programming in Matlab 

2) Software and personal laptop:  Students will need to bring their personal laptops to the lectures, practical’s and the exam. Matlab needs to be installed before the first meeting (for assistance see below). 

FNWI offers licenses for MATLAB, including instructions for both Windows and Mac, as well as software support:

• Downloading Software: Software can be downloaded from www.datanose.nl/byod
• Support for software installation and other issues contact: laptops-fnwi@uva.nl. 
• Borrowing a laptop: FNWI students can rent a laptop at the library desk. The laptops include MS Office and Adobe Acrobat. You are allowed to install your own software on the device. The laptop comes with a laptop bag, charger, mouse, lock and HMDI-cable. Documents and software are deleted after return.

Vakevaluatie afgelopen jaar

Contactinformatie

Coördinator

• dr. Yael Artzy-Randrup

Course coordinator:
       Dr. Yael Artzy-Randrup (Yael.Artzy@UvA.nl)

Teaching assistants: 
      Walter van Dijk, Bart Hoekstra and Anne Rietman