The first symposium of the four-part series on systems science and health:

Systems Methodologies for Solving Real-World Problems:
Applications in Public Health

John Sterman, Ph.D.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Kenneth McLeroy, Ph.D.
Texas A&M University  

*Presentations from this symposium are not available.


MARCH 22, 2007
12:00 - 2:00 PM

Neuroscience Center, Room D
6001 Executive Blvd
Rockville, Maryland 20852

Directions to the Neuroscience Center: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/about/nscmap.cfm

Webcast at: http://videocast.nih.gov

CDC’s Syndemics Prevention Network and NIH’s Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) are happy to present the first in a series of four educational seminars featuring leaders in various areas of systems science.  The purposes are to (1) raise awareness of particularly promising methodologies; and (2) improve our collective understanding about how and when they may be used effectively by behavioral and social scientists (including researchers, policy analysts, planners/evaluators, grant reviewers, journal editors, and government officials).   

This first symposium provides an introduction to and overview of the rest of the series.  The core principles of system-oriented inquiry will be described, while briefly surveying a variety of methodological traditions and emerging directions in the field.  In this session, John Sterman (Director of the System Dynamics Group at MIT) will share his view of the field followed by Ken McLeroy (Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at Texas A&M University and Department Editor for AJPH), who will explore further implications and assess the prospects for incorporating systems methodologies more fully into routine public health work.  

Each subsequent symposium in the series (to be held in April, May, and June; specific dates to be determined) will spotlight one particular methodology, providing a greater understanding of its conceptual, methodological, and ethical orientations. The methodologies to be highlighted will include: system dynamics simulation modeling, agent-based modeling, and network analysis. Audience members may expect to learn which questions/problems the methodologies are best suited to address, their fundamental assumptions and procedures, information requirements, limitations, and likely benefits. Panelists in all sessions will illustrate the relevance and credibility of systems inquiry for public health issues by discussing landmark studies as well as current case examples or proposed investigations.  All sessions will be held on or near the NIH campus, and be available via Internet webcast and podcast.  See participation details below.

 

Participation Information

VENUE PARTICIPANTS
 Open to all NIH staff and the general public without prior registration.
Government-issued photo ID required to enter the building.
 Parking is available at a modest fee to all.
 NIH shuttle bus service is available to/from NIH main campus.

INTERNET PARTICIPANTS
 Also available live via webcast at http://videocast.nih.gov  
 The video will be archived for later viewing as either webcast or podcast at the same URL.  
 All webcast and podcasts will be close-captioned.

Points of Contact:

Patty Mabry (NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research): 301.402.1753; mabryp@od.nih.gov
Bobby Milstein (CDC Syndemics Prevention Network): 770.488.5528; bmilstein@cdc.gov