Using agent-based models as a simulation tool to generate synthetic data

Description:

This free online workshop explores the intersection of two computational social science ideas, synthetic data and agent-based models:

1. Synthetic data – which is generated data rather than observed data. This can be useful when balancing research needs with data availability or security.

2. Agent-based models (ABM) – which simulate interactions and can produce synthetic data for diverse or even counterfactual scenarios.

This workshop will cover:

• why create synthetic data using ABM

• when it would be appropriate to do so

• how to create the data using open source software NetLogo

• what the resulting data can be used for

We will be using NetLogo for the live software demonstration, which is an open-source programming language and integrated development environment for agent-based modelling.

Workshop details

The workshop is structured into four parts:

1. Introduction to synthetic data
   What is and is not synthetic data? What is it good for? What are some common ways to generate it?

2. Introduction to top-down versus bottom-up
   What do top-down and bottom-up mean? How do these relate to research problems and data generation methods?

3. Introduction to agent-based models
   What are agent-based models? How do they work? What data do they generate? This part includes demonstrations of free and user-friendly agent-based modelling software.

4. Q&A session
   Participants can engage directly with the content, ask questions related to the presentation or live coding demonstration, and get links to useful resources.

There will be a comfort break during the workshop.

Cost:

Free

Website and registration:

Register for this course

Region:

International

Keywords:

ICT and Software

Related publications and presentations from our eprints archive:

ICT and Software

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