MODSIM and Virginia Summit a Success
The Third Annual MODSIM World Conference and Expo took place from October 12-14, 2009 in Virginia Beach. The conference focused on 21st Century Decision-Making: The Art of Modeling & Simulation. Speakers, educational tracks, presentations, and product demonstrations focused on using modeling and simulation tools and practices in emerging & innovative operating environments.
As a kick off to the MODSIM World Conference and Expo, Senator Mark Warner hosted the Virginia Summit on Modeling & Simulation, which included panel discussions and remarks by Senator Warner, U.S. Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra, and General James Mattis, Commander, U.S. Joint Forces Command. To watch their remarks, click here. Congressman Randy Forbes also made comments at the Virginia Summit on Modeling & Simulation. To view his remarks, click here.
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Scientists to Create 3-D Genetic Images of Cancer
Scientists from Thomas Jefferson University and the University of Delaware have developed a three-dimensional imaging system that will allow for doctors to virtually view and feel cancerous tumors on their patients. With a grant from the U.S. Department of Defense, doctors will create this imaging system, allowing surgeons to touch and see tissues of organs in their patient’s own anatomical environment before conducting surgery.
The imaging system provides doctors with a realistic environment to better understand their patients’ pathology. The project is mainly focused on the pancreas and pancreatic tumors and is expected to take up to two years to develop. For more information from Thomas Jefferson University, click here.
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Team uses model to predict biggest impact on climate change
A study used to model the effect of human-caused pollutants on cirrus clouds was recently conducted by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in an attempt to predict climate change. According to PhysOrg, a science and physics news organization, human aerosol particles’ effect on clouds is the most telling, yet challenging assessment on future climate change.
The research team used the computerized Community Atmospheric Model Version 3 (CAM3) climate model to examine the effects of tiny particles of sulfate bio-particles produced from fossil fuels and burning bio-mass, each produced by aircraft emissions. Model simulations were conducted with both present-day and pre-industrial emissions to help the scientists conclude that aircraft emissions may have the biggest impact on climate change.
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Earthquake Engineering Simulation Could Reduce Harmful Effects
The George E. Brown Jr. Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES) received a $105 million grant from the National Science Foundation which they will use to collaborate with other earthquake engineering groups in order to enhance their research.
NEES recently arrived at Purdue University where they will use their resources, scientists and engineers to enhance their physics technology. NEES consists of 14 research sites across the country all committed to simulating earthquakes, tsunamis and their effects on human-made structures.
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Best Science Visualization Videos of 2009
WIRED SCIENCE
By Hadley Leggett
Some of the most impressive images in science are produced when researchers take numerical data and represent it visually through modeling and computer graphics. The Department of Energy honored 10 of this year’s best scientific visualizations with its annual SciDAC Vis Night awards, at the Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing conference (SciDAC) in June. Researchers submitted visualizations to the contest, and program participants voted on the best of the best. From earthquakes to jet flames, this gallery of videos and images show how beautiful (and descriptive) visual data can be. To view the videos, click here.
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M&S Caucus Member Spotlight - Congressman Ken Calvert
Hometown: Riverside County
Congressional District: 44th District of California
Years in Congress: 17
Committee Assignments: House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittees on Energy and Water, Interior and the Environment, Homeland Security
Government M&S in his district: NSWC Corona is the Navy's only independent analysis and assessment center, with more than 1,000 scientists, engineers, and support staff, and more than 800 contractors. As a field Command of the Naval Sea Systems Command’s Naval Surface Warfare Center, NSWC Corona has achieved a world-class reputation for quality engineering and analytical capabilities. NSWC Corona is sponsored by more than 120 Navy, Marine Corps, Army, and Air Force Program Offices, as well as a number of United States and foreign government agencies, and more than 3,500 government and industry customers regularly use its products and services.
Rep. Calvert on M&S: “Modeling and simulation plays an important role in our national defense, especially with our Navy's land-based testing of new weapons systems. As the Navy's leading independent assessment agent, the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Corona uses Modeling and simulation as a predecessor to live, at-sea testing of developing weapons systems. This enables the Navy to evaluate the accuracy and realism of simulations, which results in cost-efficient testing, identification, and resolution of issues in the systems before ships deploy. At the end of the day, the modeling and simulation work down at NSWC, Corona ensures that our sailors are getting vetted and tested weapons systems that will perform as needed when the time calls.”
To visit Rep. Calvert's website, go to: http://calvert.house.gov/
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Upcoming Events
Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC)
November 30 - December 3, 2009
Orlando, Florida
The Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC) promotes cooperation among the Armed Services, Industry, Academia and various Government agencies in pursuit of improved training and education programs, identification of common training issues and development of multiservice programs. Initiated in 1966 as the Naval Training Device Center/Industry Conference, the conference has evolved and expanded through increased participation by the Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Industry. For more information, click here.
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M&S Must Reads
Building a better Monte Carlo model
Risk managers and investors will, of course, be familiar with Monte Carlo simulations — which are used in finance to value potential loan losses and things like portfolio risk or derivatives. The precise simulation varies from model to model but in general work something like this: define a domain of possible inputs, generate random inputs from the domain, apply some algorithms and then aggregate the results.
Simulators Designed to Train Private Pilots
King Schools and Redbird Flight Simulations announced Wednesday they have entered into an exclusive agreement offering Redbird products through King Schools' marketing, sales and distribution channels worldwide.
Dongfend Motor Company Uses MathWorks tools for Model-Based Design of Hybrid Electric Vehicle System
The MathWorks today announced that Dongfeng Electric Vehicle (DFEV), a research and development arm of Chinese automotive maker Dongfeng Motor Company, has developed a battery management system within 18 months using MathWorks tools for Model-Based Design. The new battery management system has been installed in Dongfeng’s EQ6110 hybrid electric city bus, which delivers 30 percent better fuel efficiency than standard city buses while also lowering emissions.
Pervasive Software and Aha! Software Launch Strato-Studio for Breakthrough Analytics on Amazon EC2
Pervasive Software® Inc., an emerging leader in enabling next-generation data-intensive applications and data analytics, and Aha! Software LLC, a recognized innovator in breakthrough SaaS analytics for business, today jointly announced the beta users program for Strato-Studio, an innovative, cloud-based high-performance analytics services platform available on Amazon EC2. Combining Aha! Software’s Analytics Management System and high-performance parallel data processing from Pervasive DataRush™, Strato-Studio serves as the industry’s premier on-demand analytics services platform for data miners and business users.
If you have news articles on M&S that you would like to have featured in a future issue of the Modeling and Simulation Newsletter, please email them to the M&S Newsletter.
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About the M&S E-Newsletter
Join the Modeling and Simulation Caucus email newsletter list by signing up online at http://randyforbes.house.gov/mscaucus. In addition, you can stay informed by reading past issues online.
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Founded by Congressman Randy Forbes of Virginia, the Congressional Modeling & Simulation Caucus serves to showcase M&S contributions, to promote the M&S industry, and to be a forum for Members of Congress to understand the importance of M&S in a variety of fields. For more information on the Congressional Modeling & Simulation Caucus, please visit http://randyforbes.house.gov/mscaucus. Please do not reply to this email. It has been sent from an unattended mailbox.
