Handout

=CS699 - Agent Programming for Conservation Games=

Overview
As a tutorial in agent-based computational modeling, game programming, artificial intelligence and optimization, students participating in this seminar will create AI bots to compete against one another in a prototype video game that simulates rural Wisconsin ecology and economics. Students will work in teams of at least 2, with complementary expertise in computing and conservation, ecology or economics.

Your instructors for the course are Michael Ferris, Ben Shapiro, and Steve Wangen.

Time and Location
The CS 699 course entitled 'Agent programming for conservation games' will be held on Tuesdays in the "cone" (room 4130) of the Wisconsin Institutes of Discovery.

There are 15 Classes scheduled which meet from 4 - 5:15.

For the first class, because of the security in the building, we will have Herman Stampfli meet you downstairs at the entrance to the glass staircase, right at 4pm. Please be there on time.

We will get your student ID numbers when we see you so that we can have you added to the building access list, enabling you to get in for future sessions using your (post 2008) UW ID cards.

Registering
Students will need to register for the class as CS699 independent study under Michael Ferris (section 10, the class number is 4299). ** Please note that the last day to add classes is Friday September 7th **. The class is available as 2 credit (pass/fail).

Course Materials
The text required for the book is //Agent-Based and Individual-Based Modeling: A Practical Introduction// by Steven Railsback and Volker Grimm, and is available for approximately $44 (new) on amazon. Please be sure to purchase the book a.s.a.p., as it will include the readings assigned during the first week (the first two chapters of the book are the first assigned reading for the class).

You will need a laptop for the class. Please let Prof. Ferris know if this creates an issue.

There is a wiki for the course, which is accessible at http://ecological-modeling.wikispaces.com/.