Doug Salt did a degree in Mathematical and Computing Sciences during working as a professional software developer and engineer in mostly financial computing for about 25 years. He then subsequently earned a PhD in Information Theory, particularly with regards to the theory of databases. Since 2016 he has been working at the Institute on knowledge engineering and agent-based modelling of human-natural systems, and has worked on various international and interdisciplinary projects using agent-based modelling to study agricultural systems, lifestyles, and transitions to more sustainable ways of living.
I specialise in agent-based modelling of socio-environmental systems, and rigorous approaches to their design and interpretation. Agent-based modelling involves explicit representation of individuals and their interactions, observing the emergent effects these have on the dynamics of the system. I am particularly interested in options for managing environmental change in coupled human-natural systems through incentive schemes, but in the context of other drivers of human behaviour. I have worked on agent-based modelling of lifestyles, pro-environmental behaviours and transitions to more sustainable ways of living, and current work continues this and is also examining value chains and resilience in Scottish rural systems.
A key issue in developing models of this kind is transparency, and I am interested in the role of formal ontologies in describing and annotating simulation models and experiments.
I have been involved the international and inter- and transdisciplinary research project, listed below
Links:
[1] https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5186-9388
[2] http://glamurs.eu/