ABOUT
SYSTEMS THINKING & SYSTEM DYNAMICS IN INDUSTRY
MIT alumni have long been at the forefront of solving some of the world’s most complex and interconnected problems. Leveraging the principles of System Dynamics, a methodology pioneered by MIT Professor Jay Forrester, alumni continue to tackle challenges that span across industries, from healthcare, automotive telematics, supply chain, sustainability, leading climate simulators, Dynamic Work Design, process improvement, finance, aviation, electric vehicles, operations management, and drone infrastructure to addressing urban housing crises, and much more. This systems-based approach allows them to see the bigger picture, identify feedback loops, and understand the ripple effects of interventions. Speakers will share System Dynamics and industry perspectives.
This event features four lightning presentations by MIT alum Zafer Sahinoglu, PhD '13 Vice President of Innovation and General Manager, Erik Mintz '13, Director of Mobility Infrastructure from Mitsubishi Electric, Cynthia Garde '14 CTO/CIO, Mark Anthony Thomas '14, President and CEO from the Greater Baltimore Committee (GBC), Steve Smith'19 Director of Flight Systems from Blue Origins, Burak Gozluklu, PhD '19 Principal AI/ML Specialist and Generative AI Lead at Amazon.
When Safety Systems Backfire: The System Dynamics Behind Aviation Safety by Steve Smith '19
System Dynamics highlights how aviation safety mechanisms can sometimes introduce unintended risks. For example, redundant safety systems may create over-reliance among pilots, leading to delays in manual intervention during critical moments. By modeling the interplay between safety features and human behavior, dominant feedback loops are identified, enhancing overall flight safety.
Action Learning
Selective sessions will encourage interaction.
Participation is encouraged across all levels of experience. Whether you are new to System Dynamics or have an extensive background in the field, the event offers industry perspectives and diverse applications. Engaging in these sessions will enable participants to network with MIT alumni, gain insights into complex system challenges, and apply these learnings to their projects and initiatives.
Leadership, System Dynamics, and Eliminating Baltimore’s Vacating Housing Crisis by Mark Anthony Thomas '14
The vacant housing crisis in Baltimore is one of the most severe in the United States. Baltimore has the third-highest rate of vacant and abandoned properties in the country. This long-standing challenge continues to strain the city’s economic growth, social stability, and quality of life for its residents. The crisis, one of the most severe in the United States, disproportionately affects neighborhoods that have experienced systemic poverty and racial segregation over generations.
System Dynamics and Systems Thinking underline causes of urban decay, facilitating targeted interventions that maximize impact by developing sustainable strategies to break the cycle of vacancy and disinvestment while increasing home ownership and creating thriving neighborhoods.
SD QuickAssist: Mentorship from MIT Alumni
As part of our commitment to fostering innovation and developing the field, we are thrilled to introduce SD QuickAssist, a new System Dynamics mentoring initiative for club members. This initiative connects participants with experienced MIT alumni in System Dynamics for 30 to 90-minute Zoom sessions designed to guide them in addressing dynamic problems using System Dynamics tools—both quantitative and qualitative.
If interested, email mentor@mit-alumni-systemdynamics.org with a sentence describing the topic and what you’d like to learn from a mentoring session.
Decoding the Drone Industry
by Zafer Sahinoglu PhD '13, Erik Mentz '13, and Cynthia Garde '14
Get introduced to Mitsubishi Electric's AnyMile platform. This platform represents a significant leap in drone-based logistics, offering sophisticated fleet management, infrastructure, inspections, cargo delivery solutions, and more. As industries increasingly turn to automation and aerial technology, AnyMile positions itself at the forefront of this transformation, enabling businesses to streamline operations and enhance efficiency.
System Dynamics highlights the interaction between technological innovation, regulatory frameworks, and operational challenges. Dynamic, coordinated systems support safety mechanisms, manage complex logistics, and enable scalability in challenging environments. This necessitates the emergence of autonomous systems capable of handling intricate logistics operations, adapting to real-time variables, and ensuring secure and efficient deliveries.
Through the lens of categorical dynamics, the industry is experiencing "category chaos" due to rapid innovation and new entrants. The drone industry may be approaching its "internet moment" with a pivotal period when a new technology leverages existing infrastructure to transform the market and the potential for drones to revolutionize various sectors with their capabilities.
Unconventional Risks and Opportunities of Generative AI for Businesses: A Reflection from the Field by Burak Gozluklu PhD '19
Get a high-level understanding of GenAI's opportunities and challenges with practical insights on navigating its complexities to drive innovation. This session will explore the unconventional risks and opportunities of generative AI for businesses, including self-cannibalism due to synthetic data generation, over-reliance on generative AI, hallucination detection, and more. Drawing on experiences from an Amazon technology leader in generative AI and lead AI architect for Amazon.com, hear about the common solutions and strategies for mitigating these risks and unlocking the potential of generative AI.
John D. Sterman, PhD
Director, MIT System Dynamics Group
FIELD LEADER AND JAY W. FORRESTER MIT PROFESSOR OF SYSTEM DYNAMICS AND ENGINEERING SYSTEMS
MIT Alum '82
OUR SPEAKERS & FACILITATORS
David Miller, PhD
CLEAN ENERGY VENTURES
CO-FOUNDER & MANAGING PARTNER
MIT Alum '90, '91, '2007
SUPPORTERS
THE VENUE
This in-person boxed lunch event, held during MIT's Independent Activities Period (IAP), lasts about one hour and fifteen minutes.