Doug Salt
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.
Current research interests
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.
Past research
I have been involved the international and inter- and transdisciplinary research project, listed below
- The GLAMURS (Green Lifestyles, Alternative Models and Up-scaling Regional Sustainability) project (2014-2016) was funded by the European Commission's Seventh Framework Programme.
Bibliography
- Polhill, J.G.; Hare, M.P.; Bauermann, T.; Anzola, D.; Palmer, E.; Salt, D.; Antosz, P. (2021) Using agent-based models for prediction in complex and wicked systems., Journal of Artificial Societies and Soicial Simulation, 24, Article No. 2.
- Cohen, J.J.; Azarova, V.; Klöckner, C.A.; Kollmann, A.; Löfström, E.; Pellegrini-Masini, G.; Polhill, J.G.; Reichl, J.; Salt, D. (2021) Tackling the challenge of interdisciplinary energy research: A research toolkit., Energy Research and Social Sciences, 74, Article No. 101966.
- Dumitru, A.; Lema Blanco, I.; Albulescu, P.; Antosz, P.; Bouman, L.; Colley, K.; Craig, T.; Jager, W.; Macsinga, I.; Meskovic, E.; Mischkowski, N.; Pellegrini Masini, G.; Polhill, G.; Quinti, G.; Salt, D.; Somervail, P.; Wilson, R.; (2021) Policy recommendations for each cluster of casestudies Insights from policy scenario workshops, SMARTEES Deliverable 5.2. https://local-social-innovation.eu/fileadmin/user_upload/Deliverables/D5.2_final__1_.pdf
- Pellegrini-Masini, G.; Albulescu, P.; Jager, W.; Löfström, E.; Macsinga, I.; Alonso-Betanzos, A.; Bouman, L.; Guijarro-Berdiñas, B.; Polhill, G.; Rodríguez-Arias, A.; Salt, D.; Sánchez-Maroño, N.; (2021) Report on the updated theoretical framework for social innovation diffusion, SMARTEES Deliverable 6.2. https://local-social-innovation.eu/fileadmin/user_upload/Deliverables/SMARTEES-D6.2_theoretical_development_R1.pdf
- Bouman, L.; Antosz, P.; Jager, W.; Polhill, G.; Salt, D.; Scalco, A.; Alonso-Betanzos, A.; Sánchez-Maroño, N.; Guijarro-Berdiñas, B.; Rodríguez-Arias, A.; (2021) Report on scenario development and experiments for selected cases, SMARTEES: Updated Deliverable 7.4 (Final Report).
- Salt, D.A.; Polhill, J.G (2021) A NetLogo extension to secure data using GNUs Pretty Good Privacy Software Suite., In: Ahrweiler P. & Neumann M. (eds). Advances in Social Simulation. ESSA 2019. Springer Proceedings in Complexity. Springer, Cham, pp229-312.
- Antosz, P.; Jager, W.; Polhill, J.G.; Salt, D.; Scalco, A.; Alonso-Betanzos, A.; Sánchez-Maroño, N.; Guijarro-Berdiñas, B.; Rodríguez, A. (2020) SMARTEES simulation implementations for selected cases., SMARTEES Deliverable 7.3 (Report) , December 2020, 124pp.
- Polhill, J.G.; Ge, J.; Hare, M.; Matthews, K.B.; Gimona, A.; Salt, D.; Yeluripati, J. (2019) Crossing the chasm: A ‘tube-map’ for agent-based social simulation of policy scenarios in spatially-distributed systems., Geoinformatica, 23, 169-199.
- Polhill, J.G.; Craig, T.; Colley, K.; Ge, J.; Sat, D. (2018) The SMARTEES Project and The James Hutton Institute’s potential contribution to the Torry Heat Network project., Appendix 10.4 in support of Torry Heat Network, Report to be presented to Aberdeen City Council.
- Polhill, J.G.; Salt, D. (2017) The importance of ontological structure: why validation by ‘fit-to-data’ is insufficient., In: Edmonds, B. & Meyer, R. (eds.) Simulating Social Complexity: A Handbook. 2nd edition. Springer, 141-172.
- Salt, D.; Polhill, J.G.; Craig, T. (2016) Deliverable 2.2: Report on the ontology generation and data and knowledge integration., Green Lifestyles Alternative Models and Up-scaling Regional Sustainability / GLAMURS EU SSH.2013.2.1-1 Grant Agreement No. 613420.
- Salt, D.; Polhill, J.G.; Craig, T. (2016) Deliverable 2., Report for Glamurs Ontology Project.
- Polhill, J.G.; Hare, M.P.; Bauermann, T.; Anzola, D.; Palmer, E.; Salt, D.; Antosz, P. (2021) Using agent-based models for prediction in complex and wicked systems., Journal of Artificial Societies and Soicial Simulation, 24, Article No. 2.
- Cohen, J.J.; Azarova, V.; Klöckner, C.A.; Kollmann, A.; Löfström, E.; Pellegrini-Masini, G.; Polhill, J.G.; Reichl, J.; Salt, D. (2021) Tackling the challenge of interdisciplinary energy research: A research toolkit., Energy Research and Social Sciences, 74, Article No. 101966.
- Polhill, J.G.; Ge, J.; Hare, M.; Matthews, K.B.; Gimona, A.; Salt, D.; Yeluripati, J. (2019) Crossing the chasm: A ‘tube-map’ for agent-based social simulation of policy scenarios in spatially-distributed systems., Geoinformatica, 23, 169-199.
- Salt, D.A.; Polhill, J.G (2021) A NetLogo extension to secure data using GNUs Pretty Good Privacy Software Suite., In: Ahrweiler P. & Neumann M. (eds). Advances in Social Simulation. ESSA 2019. Springer Proceedings in Complexity. Springer, Cham, pp229-312.
- Polhill, J.G.; Salt, D. (2017) The importance of ontological structure: why validation by ‘fit-to-data’ is insufficient., In: Edmonds, B. & Meyer, R. (eds.) Simulating Social Complexity: A Handbook. 2nd edition. Springer, 141-172.
- Dumitru, A.; Lema Blanco, I.; Albulescu, P.; Antosz, P.; Bouman, L.; Colley, K.; Craig, T.; Jager, W.; Macsinga, I.; Meskovic, E.; Mischkowski, N.; Pellegrini Masini, G.; Polhill, G.; Quinti, G.; Salt, D.; Somervail, P.; Wilson, R.; (2021) Policy recommendations for each cluster of casestudies Insights from policy scenario workshops, SMARTEES Deliverable 5.2. https://local-social-innovation.eu/fileadmin/user_upload/Deliverables/D5.2_final__1_.pdf
- Pellegrini-Masini, G.; Albulescu, P.; Jager, W.; Löfström, E.; Macsinga, I.; Alonso-Betanzos, A.; Bouman, L.; Guijarro-Berdiñas, B.; Polhill, G.; Rodríguez-Arias, A.; Salt, D.; Sánchez-Maroño, N.; (2021) Report on the updated theoretical framework for social innovation diffusion, SMARTEES Deliverable 6.2. https://local-social-innovation.eu/fileadmin/user_upload/Deliverables/SMARTEES-D6.2_theoretical_development_R1.pdf
- Bouman, L.; Antosz, P.; Jager, W.; Polhill, G.; Salt, D.; Scalco, A.; Alonso-Betanzos, A.; Sánchez-Maroño, N.; Guijarro-Berdiñas, B.; Rodríguez-Arias, A.; (2021) Report on scenario development and experiments for selected cases, SMARTEES: Updated Deliverable 7.4 (Final Report).
- Antosz, P.; Jager, W.; Polhill, J.G.; Salt, D.; Scalco, A.; Alonso-Betanzos, A.; Sánchez-Maroño, N.; Guijarro-Berdiñas, B.; Rodríguez, A. (2020) SMARTEES simulation implementations for selected cases., SMARTEES Deliverable 7.3 (Report) , December 2020, 124pp.
- Polhill, J.G.; Craig, T.; Colley, K.; Ge, J.; Sat, D. (2018) The SMARTEES Project and The James Hutton Institute’s potential contribution to the Torry Heat Network project., Appendix 10.4 in support of Torry Heat Network, Report to be presented to Aberdeen City Council.
- Salt, D.; Polhill, J.G.; Craig, T. (2016) Deliverable 2.2: Report on the ontology generation and data and knowledge integration., Green Lifestyles Alternative Models and Up-scaling Regional Sustainability / GLAMURS EU SSH.2013.2.1-1 Grant Agreement No. 613420.
- Salt, D.; Polhill, J.G.; Craig, T. (2016) Deliverable 2., Report for Glamurs Ontology Project.
