Open Invitation: Senator John Edwards and Josh Brumberger

[Justin Lyon]

Dear System Dynamics Community:

First, let me thank the FRIAM group for their
incredible and timely responses. Great job guys. I
look forward to sharing the brief with everyone who
responded and getting it in front of Senator Edwards
ASAP.

Interestingly, I got 16 responses within 72 hours from
the agent based modeling community in Santa Fe
(FRIAM at redfish.com) containing ideas for ways to use
simulation to improve decision making for the US
government. What an amazing community!!
Congratulations on being a tremendous success!

And the response from the System Dynamics community?
Zero. Yup. ZERO. Not one insightful comment from
ANYONE unless I missed it in my inbox.

I've spoken to Josh Brumberger via teleconference and
they are awaiting our brief on the power of simulation
(including system dynamics) for addressing poverty in
the US.

Are there ANY system dynamics people out there
interested in helping develop a brief for Senator
Edwards? Does NO ONE in the System Dynamics community
care about helping poor people?

What happened to the spirit that Jay pioneered with
his work on Urban Dynamics? I thought the SD community
were the leaders of addressing these types of issues?
What gives?

Thoughts?

Best,
Justin

--- Justin Lyon <justin1028 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Friends and Colleagues,
>
> Dr. Suarez at Trinity University was kind enough to
> invite me to meet Senator John Edwards last night
> after he gave a speech in San Antonio.
>
> During our brief chat with Senator Edwards, we
> pitched
> him on using simulations to help in moving people
> from
> poverty to the middle clas in America.
>
> We explained that it could build on the work done in
> system dynamics at MIT by Professor Forrester and
> many
> others relating to urban planning. Dr. Warren at
> London Business School also has an excellent
> approach
> for policymakers interested in fact-based,
> quantitative decision-making. We can also tap into
> the
> work done by Stephen Guerin of RedfishGroup and
> Keith
> Hunter at Carnegie Mellon University on using agent
> based models in affordable housing searches.
>
> Senator Edwards was intrigued. He connected us with
> his Finance Director with whom I spent 10 minutes
> over
> drinks discussing Simulation Science. He gave me his
> email and suggested we talk in more detail.
>
> I wanted to ask the FRIAM and System Dynamics
> simulation communities if they had any thoughts on
> how
> we might use simulation to develop policies for
> getting rid of poverty in America?
>
> If you are interested in helping us, please send us
> your ideas within the next five days and we'll put
> them into a brief for Senator Edwards and his staff.
> We'll credit all ideas in the brief. I'll share the
> final brief with the community.
>
> You never know what might come of this, but I could
> not pass up the opportunity to bend Senator Edwards'
> ear about the power of simulation, agent based
> modeling and system dynamics!
>
>
>
> Warmly,
> Justin Lyon
>
> Skype: justinlyonandsimulation
>
> Justin's profile . . .
> https://www.linkedin.com/e/fps/2815771/
>
> Justin's business blog . . .
> http://justinlyonandsimulation.blogspot.com
>
> Justin's personal blog . . .
> http://blog.360.yahoo.com/justin1028
>
> I'm from Texas. What country are you from?
> http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/663131/posts
>