Andreas Tolk

OK
About Andreas Tolk
I am Chief Scientist for Complex System Modeling in the Modeling and Analysis Innovation Center of The MITRE Corporation. The main objective of our work is to apply leading edge research for the society, often focusing on support of the US Government.
Until recently, I have been a professor for systems engineering and engineering management at Old Dominion University, and I am still an adjunct faculty member. As such, I am interested in methods and solutions that bring the engineering side and the management side of organizations closer together. As I hold a PhD in Computer Science, the use of computer-based methods became my focal point. However, as a systems engineer - or better a system of systems engineering scholar - I know very well that conceptual challenges cannot be solved by throwing tools at someone. Only when mature technology, educated workforce, and supporting management come together, a solution will be successful.
Within this group of tools, modeling and simulation is my main domain of expertise. Modeling deals with the conceptualization of problems, simulation deals with implementing the resulting models. A lot of my research has been funded by the armed forces, so many applications are in the defense and security domain. However, we successfully moved insights into other domains as well, e.g., results on interoperability - simulations running together - and composability - models can be applied together - for medical simulation systems. The levels of conceptual interoperability model (LCIM) was successfully applied in defense, energy, security, and more domains.
I mainly write to educate engineers to better understand what they are doing and for what they are doing it, and for managers to understand what engineers need in order to do their job. I also write to take the myth and the magic out of mathematical solutions. Examples are descriptions of modeling and simulation applications as well designed programmed production systems, not magic mirrors that can do more than human beings, or agent-based systems as the logical next step of object-orientation, not a mystical new method that creates emerging knowledge.
I always try to get some life experience into this as well, as learning just from books as a rule is pretty boring ... but I hope that you find my books helpful nonetheless.
Are you an author?
Author Updates
Books By Andreas Tolk
Understanding the potential synergies between computer simulation and wargaming
Based on the insights of experts in both domains, Simulation and Wargaming comprehensively explores the intersection between computer simulation and wargaming. This book shows how the practice of wargaming can be augmented and provide more detail-oriented insights using computer simulation, particularly as the complexity of military operations and the need for computational decision aids increases.
The distinguished authors have hit upon two practical areas that have tremendous applications to share with one another but do not seem to be aware of that fact. The book includes insights into:
- The application of the data-driven speed inherent to computer simulation to wargames
- The application of the insight and analysis gained from wargames to computer simulation
- The areas of concern raised by the combination of these two disparate yet related fields
- New research and application opportunities emerging from the intersection
Addressing professionals in the wargaming, modeling, and simulation industries, as well as decision makers and organizational leaders involved with wargaming and simulation, Simulation and Wargaming offers a multifaceted and insightful read and provides the foundation for future interdisciplinary progress in both domains.
“...a much-needed handbook with contributions from well-chosen practitioners. A primary accomplishment is to provide guidance for those involved in modeling and simulation in support of Systems of Systems development, more particularly guidance that draws on well-conceived academic research to define concepts and terms, that identifies primary challenges for developers, and that suggests fruitful approaches grounded in theory and successful examples.”
Paul Davis, The RAND Corporation
Modeling and Simulation Support for System of Systems Engineering Applications provides a comprehensive overview of the underlying theory, methods, and solutions in modeling and simulation support for system of systems engineering. Highlighting plentiful multidisciplinary applications of modeling and simulation, the book uniquely addresses the criteria and challenges found within the field.
- Cutting edge coverage of modeling and simulation within the field of system of systems, including transportation, system health management, space mission analysis, systems engineering methodology, and energy
- State-of-the-art advances within multiple domains to instantiate theoretic insights, applicable methods, and lessons learned from real-world applications of modeling and simulation
- The challenges of system of systems engineering using a systematic and holistic approach
- Key concepts, terms, and activities to provide a comprehensive, unified, and concise representation of the field
- A collection of chapters written by over 40 recognized international experts from academia, government, and industry
- A research agenda derived from the contribution of experts that guides scholars and researchers towards open questions
Engineering Principles of Combat Modeling and Distributed Simulation is the first book of its kind to address the three perspectives that simulation engineers must master for successful military and defense related modeling: the operational view (what needs to be modeled); the conceptual view (how to do combat modeling); and the technical view (how to conduct distributed simulation). Through methods from the fields of operations research, computer science, and engineering, readers are guided through the history, current training practices, and modern methodology related to combat modeling and distributed simulation systems. Comprised of contributions from leading international researchers and practitioners, this book provides a comprehensive overview of the engineering principles and state-of-the-art methods needed to address the many facets of combat modeling and distributed simulation and features the following four sections:
- Foundations introduces relevant topics and recommended practices, providing the needed basis for understanding the challenges associated with combat modeling and distributed simulation.
- Combat Modeling focuses on the challenges in human, social, cultural, and behavioral modeling such as the core processes of "move, shoot, look, and communicate" within a synthetic environment and also equips readers with the knowledge to fully understand the related concepts and limitations.
- Distributed Simulation introduces the main challenges of advanced distributed simulation, outlines the basics of validation and verification, and exhibits how these systems can support the operational environment of the warfighter.
- Advanced Topics highlights new and developing special topic areas, including mathematical applications fo combat modeling; combat modeling with high-level architecture and base object models; and virtual and interactive digital worlds.
Featuring practical examples and applications relevant to industrial and government audiences, Engineering Principles of Combat Modeling and Distributed Simulation is an excellent resource for researchers and practitioners in the fields of operations research, military modeling, simulation, and computer science. Extensively classroom tested, the book is also ideal for courses on modeling and simulation; systems engineering; and combat modeling at the graduate level.
Explores the breadth and versatility of Human Systems Engineering (HSE) practices and illustrates its value in system development
A Framework of Human Systems Engineering: Applications and Case Studies offers a guide to identifying and improving methods to integrate human concerns into the conceptualization and design of systems. With contributions from a panel of noted experts on the topic, the book presents a series of Human Systems Engineering (HSE) applications on a wide range of topics: interface design, training requirements, personnel capabilities and limitations, and human task allocation.
Each of the book's chapters present a case study of the application of HSE from different dimensions of socio-technical systems. The examples are organized using a socio-technical system framework to reference the applications across multiple system types and domains. These case studies are based in real-world examples and highlight the value of applying HSE to the broader engineering community. This important book:
- Includes a proven framework with case studies to different dimensions of practice, including domain, system type, and system maturity
- Contains the needed tools and methods in order to integrate human concerns within systems
- Encourages the use of Human Systems Engineering throughout the design process
- Provides examples that cross traditional system engineering sectors and identifies a diverse set of human engineering practices
Written for systems engineers, human factors engineers, and HSI practitioners, A Framework of Human Systems Engineering: Applications and Case Studies provides the information needed for the better integration of human and systems and early resolution of issues based on human constraints and limitations.
Offers a one-stop reference on the application of advanced modeling and simulation (M&S) in cyber physical systems (CPS) engineering
This book provides the state-of-the-art in methods and technologies that aim to elaborate on the modeling and simulation support to cyber physical systems (CPS) engineering across many sectors such as healthcare, smart grid, or smart home. It presents a compilation of simulation-based methods, technologies, and approaches that encourage the reader to incorporate simulation technologies in their CPS engineering endeavors, supporting management of complexity challenges in such endeavors.
Complexity Challenges in Cyber Physical Systems: Using Modeling and Simulation (M&S) to Support Intelligence, Adaptation and Autonomy is laid out in four sections. The first section provides an overview of complexities associated with the application of M&S to CPS Engineering. It discusses M&S in the context of autonomous systems involvement within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The second section provides a more detailed description of the challenges in applying modeling to the operation, risk and design of holistic CPS. The third section delves in details of simulation support to CPS engineering followed by the engineering practices to incorporate the cyber element to build resilient CPS sociotechnical systems. Finally, the fourth section presents a research agenda for handling complexity in application of M&S for CPS engineering. In addition, this text:
- Introduces a unifying framework for hierarchical co-simulations of cyber physical systems (CPS)
- Provides understanding of the cycle of macro-level behavior dynamically arising from spaciotemporal interactions between parts at the micro-level
- Describes a simulation platform for characterizing resilience of CPS
Complexity Challenges in Cyber Physical Systems has been written for researchers, practitioners, lecturers, and graduate students in computer engineering who want to learn all about M&S support to addressing complexity in CPS and its applications in today’s and tomorrow’s world.
This uniquely inspirational and practical book explores human simulation, which is the application of computational modeling and simulation to research subjects in the humanities disciplines. It delves into the fascinating process of collaboration among experts who usually don’t have much to do with one another – computer engineers and humanities scholars – from the perspective of the humanities scholars. It also explains the process of developing models and simulations in these interdisciplinary teams.
Each chapter takes the reader on a journey, presenting a specific theory about the human condition, a model of that theory, discussion of its implementation, analysis of its results, and an account of the collaborative experience. Contributing authors with different fields of expertise share how each model was validated, discuss relevant datasets, explain development strategies, and frankly discuss the ups and downs of the process of collaborative development. Readers are given access to the models and will also gain new perspectives from the authors’ findings, experiences, and recommendations.Today we are in the early phases of an information revolution, combining access to vast computing resources, large amounts of human data through social media, and an unprecedented richness of methods and tools to capture, analyze, explore, and test hypotheses and theories of all kinds. Thus, this book’s insights will be valuable not only to students and scholars of humanities subjects, but also to the general reader and researchers from other disciplines who are intrigued by the expansion of the information revolution all the way into the humanities departments of modern universities.
This book is based on the “Summer Simulation Multi-Conference” (SCSC), which has been a prominent platform for the dissemination of scholarly research in the M&S community for the last 50 years. In keeping with the conference’s seasonal title, the authors have called this half-century “the summer of simulation,” and it has led not only to simulation-based disciplines but also simulation as a discipline. This book discusses contributions from the SCSC in four sections. The first section is an introduction to the work. The second section is devoted to contributions from simulation research fellows who were associated with the SCSC, while the third section features the SCSC’s most influential contributions. Lastly, the fourth section includes contributions from the best papers in the last five years.
Features:
• A comprehensive volume dedicated to one of the simulation domain’s major conferences: the SCSC
• Offers a scientometric analysis of the SCSC
• Revisits high-impact topics from 50 years of the SCSC
• Includes chapters by simulation research fellows associated with the SCSC
• Presents updated best-paper contributions from the recent conference
This work will be of value to anyone interested in the evolution of modeling and simulation over the last fifty years. Readers will gain a perspective on what drove this evolution, and develop an understanding of the key contributions that allowed this technology to grow into its own academic discipline and profession.
The capability modeling and simulation (M&S) supplies for managing systems complexity and investigating systems behaviors has made it a central activity in the development of new and existing systems. However, a handbook that provides established M&S practices has not been available. Until now. Modeling and Simulation-Based Systems Engineering Handbook details the M&S practices for supporting systems engineering in diverse domains. It discusses how you can identify systems engineering needs and adapt these practices to suit specific application domains, thus avoiding redefining practices from scratch.
Although M&S practices are used and embedded within individual disciplines, they are often developed in isolation. However, they address recurring problems common to all disciplines. The editors of this book tackled the challenge by recruiting key representatives from several communities, harmonizing the different perspectives derived from individual backgrounds, and lining them up with the book’s vision. The result is a collection of M&S systems engineering examples that offer an initial means for cross-domain capitalization of the knowledge, methodologies, and technologies developed in several communities. These examples provide the pros and cons of the methods and techniques available, lessons learned, and pitfalls to avoid.
As our society moves further in the information era, knowledge and M&S capabilities become key enablers for the engineering of complex systems and systems of systems. Therefore, knowledge and M&S methodologies and technologies become valuable output in an engineering activity, and their cross-domain capitalization is key to further advance the future practices in systems engineering. This book collates information across disciplines to provide you with the tools to more efficiently design and manage complex systems that achieve their goals.
A comprehensive text that reviews the methods and technologies that explore emergent behavior in complex systems engineering in multidisciplinary fields
In Emergent Behavior in Complex Systems Engineering, the authors present the theoretical considerations and the tools required to enable the study of emergent behaviors in manmade systems. Information Technology is key to today’s modern world. Scientific theories introduced in the last five decades can now be realized with the latest computational infrastructure. Modeling and simulation, along with Big Data technologies are at the forefront of such exploration and investigation.
The text offers a number of simulation-based methods, technologies, and approaches that are designed to encourage the reader to incorporate simulation technologies to further their understanding of emergent behavior in complex systems. The authors present a resource for those designing, developing, managing, operating, and maintaining systems, including system of systems. The guide is designed to help better detect, analyse, understand, and manage the emergent behaviour inherent in complex systems engineering in order to reap the benefits of innovations and avoid the dangers of unforeseen consequences. This vital resource:
- Presents coverage of a wide range of simulation technologies
- Explores the subject of emergence through the lens of Modeling and Simulation (M&S)
- Offers contributions from authors at the forefront of various related disciplines such as philosophy, science, engineering, sociology, and economics
- Contains information on the next generation of complex systems engineering
Written for researchers, lecturers, and students, Emergent Behavior in Complex Systems Engineering provides an overview of the current discussions on complexity and emergence, and shows how systems engineering methods in general and simulation methods in particular can help in gaining new insights in complex systems engineering.
This broad-ranging text/reference presents a fascinating review of the state of the art of modeling and simulation, highlighting both the seminal work of preeminent authorities and exciting developments from promising young researchers in the field. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Winter Simulation Conference (WSC), the premier international forum for disseminating recent advances in the field of system simulation, the book showcases the historical importance of this influential conference while also looking forward to a bright future for the simulation community.
Topics and features: examines the challenge of constructing valid and efficient models, emphasizing the benefits of the process of simulation modeling; discusses model calibration, input model risk, and approaches to validating emergent behaviors in large-scale complex systems with non-linear interactions; reviews the evolution of simulation languages, and the history of the Time Warp algorithm; offers a focus on the design and analysis of simulation experiments under various goals, and describes how data can be “farmed” to support decision making; provides a comprehensive overview of Bayesian belief models for simulation-based decision making, and introduces a model for ranking and selection in cloud computing; highlights how input model uncertainty impacts simulation optimization, and proposes an approach to quantify and control the impact of input model risk; surveys the applications of simulation in semiconductor manufacturing, in social and behavioral modeling, and in military planning and training; presents data analysis on the publications from the Winter Simulation Conference, offering a big-data perspective on the significant impact of the conference.This informative and inspiring volume will appeal to all academics and professionals interested in computational and mathematical modeling and simulation, as well as to graduate students on the path to form the next generation of WSC pioneers.The definite guide to the theory, knowledge, technical expertise, and ethical considerations that define the M&S profession
From traffic control to disaster management, supply chain analysis to military logistics, healthcare management to new drug discovery, modeling and simulation (M&S) has become an essential tool for solving countless real-world problems. M&S professionals are now indispensable to how things get done across virtually every aspect of modern life. This makes it all the more surprising that, until now, no effort has been made to systematically codify the core theory, knowledge, and technical expertise needed to succeed as an M&S professional.
This book brings together contributions from experts at the leading edge of the modeling and simulation profession, worldwide, who share their priceless insights into issues which are fundamental to professional success and career development in this critically important field. Running as a common thread throughout the book is an emphasis on several key aspects of the profession, including the essential body of knowledge underlying the M&S profession; the technical discipline of M&S; the ethical standards that should guide professional conduct; and the economic and commercial challenges today’s M&S professionals face.
• Demonstrates applications of M&S tools and techniques in a variety of fields—such as engineering, operations research, and cyber environments—with over 500 types of simulations
• Highlights professional and academic aspects of the field, including preferred programming languages, professional academic and certification programs, and key international societies
• Shows why M&S professionals must be fully versed in the theory, concepts, and tools needed to address the challenges of cyber environments
The Profession of Modeling and Simulation is a valuable resource for M&S practitioners, developers, and researchers working in industry and government. Simulation professionals, including administrators, managers, technologists, faculty members, and scholars within the physical sciences, life sciences, and engineering fields will find it highly useful, as will students planning to pursue a career in the M&S profession.
“ …nearly three dozen experts in Modeling and Simulation (M&S) come together to make a compelling case for the recognition of M&S as a profession… Important reading for anyone seeking to elevate the standing of this vital field.”
Alfred (Al) Grasso, President & CEO, The MITRE Corporation
Andreas Tolk, PhD, is Technology Integrator for the Modeling, Simulation, Experimentation, and Analytics Division of The MITRE Corporation, an adjunct professor in the Department of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering and the Department for Modeling, Simulation, and Visualization Engineering at Old Dominion University, and an SCS fellow.
Tuncer Ören, PhD, is Professor Emeritus of Computer Science at the University of Ottawa. He is an SCS fellow and an inductee to SCS Modeling and Simulation Hall of Fame. His research interests include advancing methodologies, ethics, body of knowledge, and terminology of modeling and simulation.
In this book, internationally recognized experts in philosophy of science, computer science, and modeling and simulation are contributing to the discussion on how ontology, epistemology, and teleology will contribute to enable the next generation of intelligent modeling and simulation applications.
It is well understood that a simulation can provide the technical means to display the behavior of a system over time, including following observed trends to predict future possible states, but how reliable and trustworthy are such predictions? The questions about what we can know (ontology), how we gain new knowledge (epistemology), and what we do with this knowledge (teleology) are therefore illuminated from these very different perspectives, as each experts uses a different facet to look at these challenges. The result of bringing these perspectives into one book is a challenging compendium that gives room for a spectrum of challenges: from general philosophy questions, such as can we use modeling and simulation and other computational means at all to discover new knowledge, down to computational methods to improve semantic interoperability between systems or methods addressing how to apply the recent insights of service oriented approaches to support distributed artificial intelligence.
As such, this book has been compiled as an entry point to new domains for students, scholars, and practitioners and to raise the curiosity in them to learn more to fully address the topics of ontology, epistemology, and teleology from philosophical, computational, and conceptual viewpoints.