July 2005
Deborah Lines Andersen
Assistant Professor of Information Science and Policy, University at Albany
Albany, NY 12222 dla@albany.edu 518-442-5122
A. Publication activities for the Society continue to be varied and growing. Items of interest are covered by the individuals listed below in their separate reports. Please see their individual reports in the Society’s “Governance” section at (http://www.systemdynamics.org/Governance.htm )
1) Report of the Publisher of the System Dynamics Review: Graham Russel (See http://www.systemdynamics.org/member_services.htm#System%20Dynamics%20Review%20Online for a link from the Society site to online journal access.)
2) Report by the Webmaster: Jack Pugh (See (http://www.systemdynamics.org/Governance.htm )
3) Report of the Editor of the System Dynamics Review: Brian Dangerfield (See http://www.systemdynamics.org/publications.htm ) Note that a list of all articles and titles for all past issues is now available at http://www.systemdynamics.org/SDRListOfAllTitles.htm
4) Report on the Newsletters 2004/2005: Graham Winch (See the June 2005 newsletter available at http://www.systemdynamics.org/newsletters/2005June/2005June.htm )
B. Additional Society publication venues include:
SD Bibliography: The 2004 version of the System Dynamics Bibliography contains more than 7,400 references and is updated every six months. There is a specific call on the Society’s website for updates to the bibliography at http://www.systemdynamics.org/biblioupdate.htm
MIT System Dynamics Group Literature Collection: This collection has a link from the SDS home page at http://www.systemdynamics.org/MITCollectionDVDinfo.htm
JW Forrester Seminar Series: This collection of 22 video tapes plus suggested readings CDs is available from the Society offices and is found on the Society website at http://www.systemdynamics.org/JWFSeminars.htm
Membership Directory: An online, password-protected resource for members at http://web.memberclicks.com/mc/prelogin.do?hidOrgID=sds
Web Searching: A Google search under “System Dynamics Society” garnered more than 8,970,000 on July 5, 2005 (up from 3,920,000 hits 10 January 2005).
C. Three additional publications topics have been prominent this year.
1) Resolved: How does one cite D-Memos in bibliographic citations? Roberta Spencer and I worked on an answer to this question, based upon information science citation rules that give credit for multiple sources. In particular, the original document source (if there is one) should be cited then the citation should include: “also available as D-XXXX, MIT System Dynamics Group Literature Collection on DVD, Selected by Jay W. Forrester, System Dynamics Society, 2003.
2) Awaiting Discussion: What is the role of open source information for the Society? Greg Lawrence, Social Statistics Data Analyst Librarian, Albert R. Mann Library, Cornell University (GWL1@cornell.edu) is very interested in how open source could play a role for the Society. This item is VI. I. on the 2005 Summer Policy Council Meeting Agenda.
3) Awaiting Committee Action in Boston 2005: Web Repository for Models: Bob Eberlein moved (David Lane seconding at the PC meeting in Oxford that: "A committee to work on this capability be appointed consisting of Brian Dangerfield, Jack Pugh, Deborah Andersen, Oleg Pavlov, and Graham Russel." Discussion noted that both ‘classic’ models as well as SDR models should be included, and that the review process is a critical element. The motion was approved unanimously." Jack Pugh agreed to chair this committee at the January 31, 2005 PC meeting.
Jack believes that this repository should contain quality models that reflect well on the Society as well as instruct others on what constitutes a good model. To that end he proposes the following:a) The repository holds two types of models: those that lie behind papers published in our journal and all others. The first group should not require much scrutiny. The journal editors have reviewed the paper carefully and (in theory) any models lying behind it. b) To insure the quality of the "all others" he suggests that we establish a group of editors that insure the utility and quality of any model and its accompanying documentation. To start, the current committee should constitute these editors.