2026 Spring Course Syllabus - Mathematics 2197.001

Mathematical Modeling and Simulation

3

In person

TR 11:00-12:50

Wachman Hall 010

Benjamin Seibold

seibold@temple.edu

Wachman Hall 518

TR 12:30-1:30

All materials will be provided in class or on the course website https://faculty.cst.temple.edu/~seibold/teaching/2026_2197/

Homework and in-class activities: 30%; course project: 45%; examination: 25%.

Programming: MATH1034/CIS1051/CIS1057/CIS1068 or equivalent. Mathematics: MATH1042 or equivalent.

By the end of the semester, students will be able to build models and simulations for complex emergent phenomena, and to systematically analyze and interpret the simulation results.

This course introduces the concept of (a) building a mathematical model of a real-world process, (b) using computational resources to simulate the model, and (c) properly interpreting the results. The main focus lies on processes with many interacting agents, such as: traffic flow, spread of diseases, animal swarming, economic markets, social networks, robotics. The course provides an overview of model building concepts, training on the implementation of models in a computing environment, as well as theoretical background on how to analyze and understand large-scale emergent structures (such as traffic waves, stock market crashes, swarm intelligence, etc.). General interest in mathematical model building and in programming is required.

05/05/2026

Attendance of every class is critical. Students are expected to attend every class. If a student cannot attend a class for some justifiable reason, they are expected to contact the instructor before class. Students are expected to actively participate in the in-class activities and to be properly prepared to do so, including having completed any pre-class assignments and providing suitable hardware and software, as explained during the first class.

Computational problems will be conducted using MATLAB. Temple University has a site license for MATLAB, and it can be installed free-of-charge on personal computers by the steps given on the ITS website. For the course project, other languages may also be used, but for specific assignments the usage of MATLAB is required.

Over the course of the semester, each student will work on an individual course project related to the course material, on a topic found in discussion with the course instructor. Each course project should demonstrate the major themes of model building, computer simulation, presentation, interpretation, and analysis of results. Project topics suggested by the student are very welcome, and the instructor will make an effort to admit topics of specific interest to students. Each project involves a project proposal, a midterm report, a final report, and a project presentation. For each proposal/report deliverable, there will be a process of a first submission, receiving feedback from the instructor, and then a revised (final) submission.

This course is writing intensive.

The use of AI for the deliverables is in principle allowed. However, for any submission (homework, project, in-class exercises) produced by a student, any usage of AI must be noted and described, and the student must have a full understanding of their product and must (be able to) explain it to the course instructor. No credit will be assigned to products/solutions that are submitted without proper explanation/context written by the student, or where used AI is not properly noted (*). In other words, AI (as well as the consultation of other external resources) may be suitable for inspiration, but the final work must always be adapted/finalized/checked/certified by the student. In addition, students are strongly encouraged to keep their learning success in mind. When in doubt what usage of external tools/resources is appropriate, reach out to the instructor.

(*) Violations of this policy may be considered a violations of Temple University's Academic Honesty policy and Student Conduct Code. Repeated violations may be reported to the Student Conduct Board.

To achieve course learning goals, students must attend and participate in classes, according to the course requirements. However, if you have tested positive for or are experiencing symptoms of a contagious illness, you should not come to campus or attend in-person  classes or activities. It is the student’s responsibility to contact me to create a plan for participation and engagement in the course as soon as you are able to do so, and to make a plan to complete all assignments in a timely fashion.

It is important to foster a respectful and productive learning environment that includes all students in our diverse community of learners. Our differences, some of which are outlined in the University's nondiscrimination statement, will add richness to this learning experience. Therefore, all opinions and experiences, no matter how different or controversial they may be perceived, must be respected in the tolerant spirit of academic discourse. 

Any student who has a need for accommodations based on the impact of a documented disability or medical condition should contact Disability Resources and Services (DRS) in Howard Gittis Student Center South, Rm 420 (drs@temple.edu; 215-204-1280) to request accommodations and learn more about the resources available to you. If you have a DRS accommodation letter to share with me, or you would like to discuss your accommodations, please contact me as soon as practical. I will work with you and with DRS to coordinate reasonable accommodations for all students with documented disabilities. All discussions related to your accommodations will be confidential.

Freedom to teach and freedom to learn are inseparable facets of academic freedom. The University has adopted a policy on Student and Faculty Academic Rights and Responsibilities (Policy # 03.70.02) which can be accessed here (opens in new tab/window).

Students will be charged for a course unless dropped by the Drop/Add deadline date. Check the University calendar (opens in new tab/window) for exact dates.

During the Drop/Add period, students may drop a course with no record of the class appearing on their transcript. Students are not financially responsible for any courses dropped during this period. In the following weeks prior to or on the withdrawal date students may withdraw from a course with the grade of "W" appearing on their transcript. After the withdrawal date students may not withdraw from courses. Check the University Calendar (opens in new tab/window) for exact dates. See the full policy by clicking here (opens in new tab/window).

The grade "I" (an "incomplete") is only given if students cannot complete the course work due to circumstances beyond their control. It is necessary for the student to have completed the majority of the course work with a passing average and to sign an incomplete contract which clearly states what is left for the student to do and the deadline by which the work must be completed. The incomplete contract must also include a default grade that will be used in case the "I" grade is not resolved by the agreed deadline. See the full policy by clicking here (opens in new tab/window).

The following academic support services are available to students (all links open in a new tab/window): 
    The Math Consulting Center 
    Student Success Center 
    University Libraries 
    Undergraduate Research Support 
    Career Center 
    Tuttleman Counseling Services 
    Disability Resources and Services 
If you are experiencing food insecurity or financial struggles, Temple provides resources and support. Notably, the Temple University Cherry Pantry and the Temple University Emergency Student Aid Program are in operation as well as a variety of resources from the Division of Student Affairs.