Celebrating Women’s International Day
Over the past several decades, more women have become part of the System Dynamics field, greatly increasing gender diversity in our discipline. We have many amazing, inspiring, brilliant, and visionary female leaders. Today we highlight women in the field who have published books related to System Dynamics and systems thinking, although this list is not exhaustive.
Sustainability | Environment
- Sylvi Ulli-Beer: Governance dynamics of energy technology change: Analyzing socio-technical transitions towards sustainability.
- Allyson Beall and Kara Whitman: Environmental Science and Sustainable Solutions: Lab and Field Manual.
- Krystyna Stave, Goraw Goshu, Shimelis Aynalem (Editors): Social and Ecological System Dynamics: Characteristics, Trends, and Integration in the Lake Tana Basin, Ethiopia.
Systems Thinking
- Derek Cabrera and Laura Cabrera: Systems Thinking Made Simple: New Hope for Solving Wicked Problems.
- Joy Richmond, Lees Stuntz, Kathy Richmond, and Joanne Egner (Editors): Tracing Connections: Voices of Systems Thinkers.
Pre-College Education | Children’s Books | Teacher’s Manuals
- Anne LaVigne and Lees Stuntz: Model Mysteries: An Exploration of Vampires, Zombies, and Other Fantastic Scenarios to Make the World a Better Place.
- Rob Quaden, Alan Ticotsky, and Debra Lyneis: The Shape of Change including Stocks and Flows.
- Demi (Charlotte Dumaresq Hunt): One Grain of Rice.
- Diana Fisher: Lessons in Mathematics: A Dynamic Approach and Modeling Dynamic Systems: Lessons for a First Course.
- Jennifer Andersen, Anne LaVigne, and The Creative Learning Exchange: Systems in Motion: Exploring Complexity through an Interdisciplinary Lens.
- Linda Booth Sweeney: When a Butterfly Sneezes, Connected Wisdom: Living Stories About Living Systems, and When the Snow Falls.
Applied System Dynamics and Systems Thinking | Methodology | Organizational Change
- Inge Bleijenbergh, Hubert Korzilius, Etiënne Rouwette (Editors): Methods, Model Building and Management: A liber amicorum for Jac Vennix.
- Michele Battle-Fisher: Application of Systems Thinking to Health Policy and Public Health Ethics: Public Health and Private Illness.
- Nalini Pillay, Andries Botha, and Josephine Musango: Applied System Dynamics With South African Case Studies. Watch Nalini Pillay and Andries Botha discuss lessons from their book in this Seminar Recording.
- Nancy Roberts, David F. Andersen, Ralph M. Deal, William A. Shaffer: Introduction to Computer Simulation: A System Dynamics Modeling Approach.
- Nici Zimmermann: Dynamics of Drivers of Organizational Change.
- Regine Bendl, Inge Bleijenbergh, Elina Henttonen, Albert J. Mills (Editors): The Oxford Handbook of Diversity in Organizations.
Historical
- Deborah Andersen and David Andersen: Theories of Decision Making: An Annotated Bibliography.
- MIT Artificial Intelligence Group: John McCarthy, Robert Brayton, Daniel Edwards, Phyllis Fox, Louis Hodes, David Luckham, Klim Maling, David Park, Stephen Russel: LISP I: Programmer’s Manual
- In 1959, Phyllis Fox and Alexander Pugh wrote the first version of DYNAMO (DYNAmic MOdels) and the system dynamics language that became the industry standard for over thirty years).
Use the button below If you’d like to add an author and/or book to our bibliography:
Donella Meadows
“We, humans, are smart enough to have created complex systems and amazing productivity; surely we are also smart enough to make sure that everyone shares our bounty, and surely we are smart enough to sustainably steward the natural world upon which we all depend.”

Donella (Dana) Meadows was an inspiring leader, scholar, writer, teacher, a Pew Scholar in Conservation and Environment, and a MacArthur Fellow, and was one of the most influential environmental thinkers of the twentieth century. After receiving a Ph.D. in biophysics from Harvard, she joined a team at MIT applying the relatively new tools of System Dynamics to global problems. While Donella Meadows researched and wrote about global problems, she herself also practiced local solutions, a living personification of Rene Dubos’ famous expression, “Think Globally, Act Locally.”
Donella’s ideas, insights, teachings, environmental leadership, and belief in the capacity of humans to create a sustainable world continue to inspire and motivate us today.
Visit the Donella Meadows Project by the Academy for Systems Change to learn more about Dana’s life and work.
Donella Meadows wrote and co-authored several books, including the following:
Recent Posts
Webinar Highlights & Recording: Digital Twin Business Models for Strategy and Operational Management
Webinar Highlights & Recording: Digital Twin Business Models for Strategy and Operational Management We had the opportunity to delve into the world of business model simulations with industry experts Kim Warren, founder of Strategy Dynamics, and Martin Lycko,...
Webinar Highlights & Recording: System Dynamics Modeling with R.
Webinar Highlights & Recording: System Dynamics Modeling with R. System Dynamics is a powerful approach to understanding complex systems in various fields, such as public health, ecology, and economics. Prof. Jim Duggan, an expert in applying System Dynamics and...
A Close-Up on Our New Look
A Close-Up on Our New Look We are excited to reveal our new logo and branding, embodying the System Dynamics Society’s values and vision for the future. The looped arrows with an S curve symbolize growth, change over time, and commitment to raising complex...
Upcoming Events

6th Annual System Dynamics Competition by the South Africa System Dynamics Chapter
System Dynamics Competition CORRECT TIME: 2 PM CENTRAL EUROPE The System Dynamics Society’s South Africa Chapter is hosting a System Dynamics Competition that offers participants the opportunity to learn new modeling skills directly from experts, collaborate...
Recent Business cases
System Dynamics Helps Farmers Escape Poverty Trap in Guatemala
System Dynamics Helps Farmers Escape Poverty Trap in Guatemala EXECUTIVE Summary Guatemala holds the 4th highest global ranking for chronic malnutrition, and climate change is intensifying the challenges subsistence farmers face in providing food for their families....
Twinings Uses System Dynamics Games to Enhance HR Capability
Twinings Uses System Dynamics Games to Enhance HR Capability “Realistic simulation is a powerful approach to building capability. The business simulation developed [by Dashboard Simulations and Lane4] gave [Twinings staff] an experience that called for them to develop...
RSC Uses System Dynamics to Increase HVACR Sales Against the Tide
RSC Uses System Dynamics to Increase HVACR Sales Against the Tide “Using the proven Strategy Dynamic process focused our limited resources on organizing strategic issues, identifying the critical resources, and developing the insight to more rapidly create intuitive...