CS 1210 -- Fall 2001

Introduction to Computational Science

Your Instructors:

Dr. Jeff Smith, 416 Boyd GSRC.

Office hours: 10:00 - 11:00 MWF

Dr. Dan Everett, 217 Boyd GSRC:

Office hours: 10:00 - 12:00 M-F

Teaching Assistant:

Michael Luchtan Office hours: TBA

Course E-mail address:

cs1210@cs.uga.edu

The Books we will read

What this course is about

What we hope you will get out of this course

Getting and submitting assignments:

Each assignment will be based on files which you download from our Web site. Typically there will be an individualized copy of the assignment for each student.

All assignments will be submitted as files attached to E-mails submitted to the course E-mail address, cs1210@cs.uga.edu. If you don't have experience attaching files to E-mails, we will be glad to show you how.

How your grade is computed:

Homework assignments and pop quizzes:

30%

Threein-class tests:

45%

Final Exam:

25%

Lecture Schedule:

Be sure to do the readings ahead of time.


Day

Date

Topic

Reading

F

Aug 17

Concepts of modeling

---

M

Aug 20

Using Excel and E-mail to submit homework

---

W

Aug 22

Calculations and functions with Excel

---

F

Aug 24

Linear models

Notes

M

Aug 27

A gender equity pay dispute

Notes

W

Aug 29

How many Olympic gold medals will each nation's athletes earn in Salt Lake City?

Notes

F

Aug 31

The Ecological Footprint model

Notes

M

Sep 3

Labor Day Holiday! Yippee!

W

Sep 5

Discrete models and cellular automata

Notes

F

Sep 7

Discrete models and cellular automata

Notes

M

Sep 10

Probability and random walks

Notes

W

Sep 12

Probability and random walks

Notes

F

Sep 14

Test 1

---

M

Sep 17

The batted-ball problem

Notes

W

Sep 19

A more realistic batted-ball problem

Notes

F

Sep 21

Projectiles and space travel

Notes

M

Sep 24

Population models

Notes

W

Sep 26

Introduction to the Stella modeling system

Notes

F

Sep 28

Population growth with limits

Notes

M

Oct 1

Population growth with limits and delays

Notes

W

Oct 3

Population growth with age structure

Notes

F

Oct 5

Human population growth -- models and uncertainties

Notes

M

Oct 8

The world problematique

Limits, pp. xii - xix; Notes

W

Oct 10

Overshoot

Limits, Chapter 1; Notes

F

Oct 12

Test 2

---

M

Oct 15

Exponential growth

Limits, pp. 14 - 23

W

Oct 17

Human population growth

Limits, pp. 23 - 33; Notes

F

Oct 19

Economic growth

Limits, pp. 33 - 41

M

Oct 22

Will Social Security go bankrupt before you retire?

Notes

W

Oct 24

Sources, sinks, and sustainability

Limits, pp. 43 - 63

F

Oct 26

Fall Break! Yippee!

M

Oct 29

Epidemics -- modeling basics

Notes

W

Oct 31

Epidemics -- finding the most effective containment strategies

Notes

F

Nov 2

Limits on resource availabilty

Limits, pp. 65 - 85; Notes

M

Nov 5

Models of expected future oil production

Limits, pp. 92 - 103

W

Nov 7

Global warming -- the basics

Notes

F

Nov 9

Global warming and Lovelock's Gaia theory

Notes

M

Nov 12

Global warming -- models and uncertainties

Notes

W

Nov 14

Dynamics of the World Model

Limits, pp. 104 - 120

F

Nov 16

Test 3

---

M

Nov 19

Simplified versions of the World Model

Notes

W

Nov 21

Thanksgiving Break! Yippee!

F

Nov 23

M

Nov 26

Simplified versions of the World Model

Notes

W

Nov 28

The Ozone Story

Limits, Chapter 5

F

Nov 30

Technology, Markets and Overshoot

Limits, Chapter 6

M

Dec 3

A bet between Paul Ehrlich and Julian Simon

Notes

W

Dec 5

Making the World Model sustainable

Notes

F

Dec 7

Reading Day

W

Dec 12

Final Exam -- 8:00 AM! Yippee!

Academic Honesty Policy

You are allowed to discuss ideas with fellow students. You must do the actual work on the computer by yourself. Under no conditions may you share your work with other students, copy other students' work, or do computer work with another student.