About the Summer School
The ESSA Summer School 2026 will take place from Monday 17 to Friday 21 August 2026 at the James Hutton Institute, Aberdeen. Led by Gary Polhill, this one-week intensive course offers an in-depth exploration of large-scale agent-based modelling (ABM), connecting theories of complex systems with practical model design, programming, and experimentation in NetLogo.
Participants will learn how agent-based models can represent heterogeneous actors, dynamic environments, and emergent socio-ecological patterns. The course combines conceptual theory, coding exercises, and group projects to help participants understand the purpose, design, and implementation of ABMs for large-scale socio-environmental systems.
Key themes include:
- Complex systems thinking and agent-based theory
- Translating conceptual systems into computational models
- Programming ABMs in NetLogo and managing large-scale model structures
- Setting up experiments, analysing results, and communicating model findings
The summer school is designed for PhD students, researchers, and practitioners interested in modelling social-ecological systems, environmental policy, behavioural dynamics, and other complex adaptive systems.
Programme Overview
| Time | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09:00 | Arrival | ||||
| 09:30 – 11:00 (session 1) | Welcome; Introduction to Complex Systems Thinking | Programming in NetLogo | Programming ABMs in NetLogo | Using BehaviorSpace | Finalising Models |
| 11:00 – 11:30 | Morning Break | ||||
| 11:30 – 12:30 (session 2) | Exploring ABMs with NetLogo | Programming in NetLogo (continued) | Programming ABMs in NetLogo | Processing BehaviorSpace Output Data | Finalising Models |
| 12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch break | ||||
| 13:30 – 14:30 (session 3) | Examples of ABMs & Model Design | Guest Lecture | Setting up a Model in NetLogo | Guest Lecture / Analysis | Group Presentations |
| 14:30 – 14:45 | Afternoon Short Break 1 | ||||
| 14:45 – 15:45 (session 4) | Translating Theory to ABMs | Group Work on Specific Models | Debugging & Testing Code | Visualising & Analysing Results | Group Presentations |
| 15:45 – 16:00 | Afternoon Short Break 2 | ||||
| 16:00 – 17:30 (session 5) | Group Work: System Thinking based on Theme Models | Model Resources (CoMSES, TAPAS, etc.) | Model Implementation | Presenting ABMs to Diverse Audiences | Feedback and Discussion; Closing Remarks |
| 17:30 | End of the day | ||||
Practical Information
Venue:
The summer school will be held at the James Hutton Institute in Aberdeen, UK — a leading institute for interdisciplinary research.
Website: https://www.hutton.ac.uk
Course Fee:
To be announced. The fee will cover teaching, materials, lunch and two group dinners. Accommodation and travel are not included.
Getting to Aberdeen:
- By Train: Aberdeen station is well connected to Edinburgh, Glasgow, and London via ScotRail and LNER services.
- By Air: Aberdeen International Airport (ABZ) is about 20 minutes from the Hutton Institute by taxi or bus.
- By Bus: Long-distance services connect Aberdeen to major UK cities.
Getting the The James Hutton Institute:
- By taxi: the full address is:
- The James Hutton Institute
Craigiebuckler
Aberdeen AB15 8QH
UK
- The James Hutton Institute
- By Bus:
- From Aberdeen railway station:
- Bus 11A every 40min
- Bus 5 or Bus 6 every 15min (need more walk)
- Bus 15 every 40min
- From Aberdeen Airport:
- Bus 727 and then bus 11A every 40min
- From Aberdeen long-distance bus station (Union Square):
- Bus 15 every 40min
- From Aberdeen railway station:
Contact:
For updates or enquiries, please contact the organisers at:
essa-school-2026@hutton.ac.uk