Using System Dynamics to Teach and Learn about COVID-19
Using System Dynamics to Teach and Learn about COVID-19
This Webinar is free due to the generous contribution of the University at Albany and California State University, Chico
A distinguished team of panelists demonstrated how we can all think globally and act locally on the most challenging topics of the day. From David Anderson’s discussion of work that has been ongoing since the onset of Covid to Babak Bahaddin’s pointing us to the latest diaries at the New Fadam farm site (needs website reference), the entire webinar is packed with insight.
By showing how cross-discipline expertise and international exchange of ideas and experiences can come together in a system dynamics initiative, this panel has placed the impacts of Covid at the center of their work. We all know how the pandemic has influenced our lives, and this team is looking into why that happened and how to lessen its impact on us going forward.
Using a model developed by Ali Mashayekhi and applied extensively by Daniel Gordon, a component-based study and survey tool for COVID has been refined over the course of the COVID era. Luis Lunar-Reyes has applied the model to its effects on business and governmental response and Hyunjung Kim has taken the model and developed a self-study learning tool kit that is available under a Creative Commons license.
There is so much great work going on, watching this video can inspire System Dynamics specialists, and researchers from all disciplines, to take a look at Covid-19 through the lens of this model.
Ali N. Mashayekhi is a retired professor of management from the Sharif University of Technology in Tehran, Iran where he taught System Dynamics and strategic management. He received his BSc in Mechanical Engineering from Sharif University and his Ph.D. in System Dynamics from MIT in Cambridge Massachusetts.
Babak Bahaddin works as an associate consultant at isee systems. Babak holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Sharif University of Technology, and a Ph.D. in Information Science, from the University at Albany, State University of New York.

Daniel Gordon trained in System Dynamics at Rockefeller College, the State University of New York at Albany. He is retired from the New York State Health Department, where he spent 34 years working in health care policy analysis and HIV epidemiology.
David Andersen is Professor Emeritus in Public Administration and Information Science at the University at Albany – SUNY. He is a former President and Vice President for Finance for the System Dynamics Society as well as a winner of the Forrester Award.
Hyunjung Kim is a professor of management at California State University, Chico. She teaches strategy and management courses using system dynamics. She received her Ph.D. in Public Administration from the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, University at Albany.
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Using System Dynamics to Teach and Learn about COVID 19
This Webinar is free due to the generous contribution of the University at Albany and California State University, Chico
The COVID Pandemic constituted a dynamic and complex problem challenging leaders and managers to design policies facing difficult questions such as:
- Do we still need to wear masks?
- Should the government mandate wearing masks?
- What happens if everyone does (or does not) get vaccinated?
- When will the next surge happen?
- How do we know if the pandemic is over?
Systems thinking and simulation provide tools and methods to explore these important questions with a variety of audiences. Learn how a team of experts is using System Dynamics to help different audiences to answer these questions:
- Using a case-based System Dynamics simulation to explore policy choices in an undergraduate public policy capstone course.
- Using a set of self-paced learning modules to build a simulation model from the ground up.
Ali N. Mashayekhi is a retired professor of management from the Sharif University of Technology in Tehran, Iran where he taught System Dynamics and strategic management. He received his BSc in Mechanical Engineering from Sharif University and his Ph.D. in System Dynamics from MIT in Cambridge Massachusetts.
Babak Bahaddin works as an associate consultant at isee systems. Babak holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Sharif University of Technology, and a Ph.D. in Information Science, from the University at Albany, State University of New York.


Daniel Gordon trained in System Dynamics at Rockefeller College, the State University of New York at Albany. He is retired from the New York State Health Department, where he spent 34 years working in health care policy analysis and HIV epidemiology.
David Andersen is Professor Emeritus in Public Administration and Information Science at the University at Albany – SUNY. He is a former President and Vice President for Finance for the System Dynamics Society as well as a winner of the Forrester Award.
Hyunjung Kim is a professor of management at California State University, Chico. She teaches strategy and management courses using system dynamics. She received her Ph.D. in Public Administration from the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, University at Albany.