We at the Santa Fe Institute believe one answer lies in a hands-on approach and a computer modeling tool known as StarLogo software. Selected students from Santa Fe's public and private high schools are invited to spend ten days at the Santa Fe Institute using Starlogo software to develop computer models of decentralized systems such as traffic jams, ecosystems, economies, and ant colonies. The summer workshop is an introduction to an in-depth academic year program for Santa Fe area high school students that will begin in September 2000. Students enrolling in the summer session must make a commitment to continue involvement throughout the school year 2000-2001.
Enrollment is limited and is by application.
Starlogo is software developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab. It is an excellent teaching tool because users can begin modeling their ideas without first having to learn a programming language, then develop these models with programming. Starlogo encourages users to break out of conventional models of thinking about complex phenomena. Summer students will meet with workshop staff and Santa Fe Institute researchers. A fully equipped computer lab will be available to the workshop participants.