CS/INFO 6702
Topics in Computational Sustainability
Computer
Science and Information Science
Spring 2010
Cornell
University
Instructor:
Carla Gomes
Faculty
Team: Jon Conrad, Steve Ellner, Carla Gomes, and Mary Lou Zeeman
Teaching
Assistants: Bistra Dilkina and
Georgios Piliouras
Time:
WF 1:25-2:40 pm.
Location: 1120 Snee Hall
Grade
options and credits: Letter or S/U; 4 credits
Prerequisites:
Graduate standing or permission of instructor
Web
page: http://www.cs.cornell.edu/Courses/cs6702/2010sp/
Office hours:
By
email or regular office hours:
Carla
Gomes Wednesday 3:15-4:30 PM (5133 Upson Hall)
Jon
Conrad Thursday 10:00-11:00 AM (455 Warren Hall)
Bistra
Dilkina Friday 3:00-4:00PM (5151 Upson Hall)
Georgios
Piliouras Wednesday 12:00-1:15 PM (4143 Upson Hall)
Overview
Computational
Sustainability is an emerging field that aims to apply techniques from computer
science and related disciplines (e.g., information science, operations
research, applied mathematics, and statistics)
to help manage the balance of environmental, economic, and societal
needs for sustainable development. The focus of Computational Sustainability is
on developing computational and mathematical models, methods, and tools for a
broad range of sustainability related applications: from decision making and
policy analysis concerning the management and allocation of resources to the
design of new sustainable techniques, practices and products. The range of problems that fall under
Computational Sustainability is therefore rather wide, encompassing
computational challenges in disciplines as diverse as environmental sciences,
economics, sociology, and biological and environmental engineering.
The scope and
definition of Computational Sustainability are still fluid and in progress. The
main goal of the course is to identify interesting computational research
questions concerning sustainability problems and more generally we hope the
course will provide additional insights towards the understanding of the
boundaries and central methodologies in Computational Sustainability.
The course is meant
to provide a high-level perspective on different topics. Computational and
mathematical topics include constraint satisfaction and optimization problems,
probabilistic reasoning and inference, machine learning methods, game theory,
agent-based models, and dynamical models. The course will include examples of
sustainability topics concerning:
·
Natural Resource Protection
·
Economics and Human Behavior
·
Energy Resources
o Smart Grid and Electric Cars
o Wind
o Biofuels
o Material Discovery
· Human-Built
Systems and Land Use
o Agriculture
o Sustainable Cities
o Energy efficiency - Sustainable Management of Data Centers
o Life cycle analysis
Given the
multi-disciplinary nature of the material, the course will include several
guest lecturers representing various disciplines.
Non-Cornell
Guest Speakers (confirmed)
o Ole Amundsen (The
Conservation Fund)
o Andreas Krause (Computer
Science, Caltech)
o Steve Phillips (Computer
Science, ATT Labs)
o Warren Powell (Operations
Research,
o Brian Williams (Computer
Science, MIT)
o Mary Lou Zeeman (Bowdoin)
Cornell Guest
Speakers (confirmed)
o Antonio Bento, Jon Conrad,
Tim Mount (Applied Economics)
o Daniel Fink, Steve Kelling,
Ken Rosenberg (Lab of Ornithology)
o Yrjo Grohn
(Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences)
o Laurie Drinkwater (Horticulture)
o Robert Howarth
(Ecologicy and Environment Biology)
Course Work
The
course work consists of three components:
1. Attendance and participation
in the lectures
2. A reaction paper identifying
one or two computational questions concerning sustainability problems, a
presentation of a research problem in class, or a good annotated bibliography. (List of reaction papers.)
3. A final project, including
an initial project proposal. (List of projects.)
Students are
encouraged to work in interdisciplinary groups.
Course Schedule
The course will
cover computational topics in constraint satisfaction and optimization
problems, probabilistic reasoning and inference, machine learning methods, game
theory, agent-based models, and dynamical models. The course will include
examples of computational problems concerning the following sustainability
topics: natural resource protection, economics and human behavior, human-built
systems and land use, and energy.
Here is an
approximate schedule. The schedule will be expanded and updated as we go along.
A general list of suggested readings is provided below. Specific readings and
notes for the lectures are added to the schedule as we go along.
|
|
Topic/Paper |
|
January |
|
|
01/27 |
Intro to
Computational Sustainability Carla
Gomes The
Bridge, National Academy of Engineering Volume
39, Number 4 - Winter 2009 |
|
01/29 |
Computational
Intro: Wildlife Corridor Design Connections
in networks: Hardness of feasibility versus optimality. Conrad,
J., C. Gomes, W.-J. van Hoeve, A. Sabharwal, and J. Suter. Proc. CPAIOR 07, 2007 pages 1628. Connections
in Networks: A Hybrid Approach Carla Gomes, Willem van Hoeve and Ashish Sabharwal. CPAIOR08.,
May 2008. PDF Optimal Corridor Design for
Grizzly Bear in the U.S. Northern Rockies, Jon Conrad, Carla P.
Gomes, Willem Jan Van Hoeve, Ashish
Sabharwal. |
|
February
|
|
|
02/03 |
Intro to
Resource Economics Resource
Economics. Conrad, J. 1999. (selected
pages) |
|
02/04* 4:30-5:30 PM, 233 Plant Science |
Sustainable
Economic Development Natures
Role in Sustaining Economic Development, Dasgupta,
2010 *Note different day, time, and location. |
|
02/05 |
Computational
Intro: Wildlife Corridor Design (continued) |
|
02/10 |
Real-world
conservation planning problems Ole
Amundsen, The Conservation Fund |
|
02/12 |
Citizen
Science/ Data Intensive Science Lab.
Of Ornithology Kelling,
S., W. M. Hochachka, D. Fink, M. Riedewald, R. Caruana, G. Ballard, and G.
Hooker. 2009. Data Intensive Science: A New Paradigm for Biodiversity
Studies. BioScience 59:613-620. |
|
02/17 |
Intro to Dynamical Systems Mary Lou Zeeman Mathematics Bowdoin College |
|
02/19 |
Wind Energy
and Bird Conservation: Assessing
risks and establishing guidelines for location and operation of turbines Andrew
Farnsworth and Ken Rosenberg |
|
02/24 |
Infectious Diseases Steve Ellner Ecology and
Evolutionary Biology |
|
02/26* 12:00 PM, 117 Upson Hall |
Optimal Sensing from Water to the Web
*Note different time and location. Rescheduled
due to the weather ---- new date: Mar 19th. |
|
03/03 |
Agro-ecosystems Laurie Drinkwater Department of Horticulture for agriculture. Front
Ecol Environ 3(1): 3846 |
|
03/05 |
Opportunities for Machine Learning in Stochastic Optimization,
with Applications in Energy Resource Planning Warren Powell Princeton University |
|
03/10 |
Human acceleration of the nitrogen cycle at regional to global
scales Bob Howarth Ecology & Environmental Biology Townsend and Howarth. 2010. Fixing the Global Nitrogen Problem. Scientific American. February Issue. |
|
03/12 |
Optimal
Interventions in Animal Systems Yrjo
Grohn Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine |
|
03/17 |
Examining the effects of Biofuels
Policies: Lifecycle analysis models versus Equilibrium Models Antonio Bento Applied Economics and Management Cornell University Readings: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/311/5760/506 http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/ |
|
03/19 |
Optimal Sensing from Water to the Web
*Note different time and location. |
|
03/21-03/28 |
Break |
|
03/31 |
Intro to Climate Models Mary Lou Zeeman Mathematics Bowdoin College |
|
04/2 |
Intro Climate Models Natalie Mahowald Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Cornell University |
|
04/7 |
Continuous Optimization with
Response Surfaces for Computationally Expensive Simulation Models for Environmental Applications Chris Shoemaker Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Cornell University |
|
04/09* 12:00 PM, 5130 Upson Hall |
Game-theory applied to conservation
prioritization Voting Power and Site Prioritization Steve Phillips, ATT Labs *Note different time and location. |
|
04/14 |
Energy Bob Thomas Electrical and Computer Engineering Cornell University |
|
04/16 |
Energy Max Zhang Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Cornell University |
|
04/21 |
Sustainable Building Systems: Challenges
Ahead and New Directions Brandon Hencey Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Cornell University |
|
04/23 04/28 04/30 05/05 |
Student Project Presentations |
Suggested Readings
·
Background
Info on the State of the Planet
·
Economics
and Human Behavior
· Human-Built
Systems and Land Use
·
Books