When I'm not working on physics or an administrative task, but am still working, I am most likely to be doing something in the area of forecasting, modeling and data science. Most of the modeling that I have done has been using Fortran, Python, or Matlab. I am aware that many others do modeling, environmental scientists, economists, sociologists, and others. So my question has always been: How can you do dynamics systems modeling if you have little or no experience with calculus and differential equations. Well, the answer, in part, can be found in this book. You can use software that does all the higher level mathematics behind the scenes, and as a modeler, you can focus on stocks, flows, feedback, and timescales.
The book is clear and detailed, and it soon becomes clear that modeling of this kind has its place. I am going to add the methods to the methods that I regularly use. As well as describing the modeling process, the book serves as an introduction to two widely used computer tools, Stella and Vensim. I have been using Vensim as you can download Vensim PLE (Personal Learners Edition) for evaluation or educational purposes at no cost. The book has more examples in Stella, but translating between the two is relatively straightforward. I recommend that your familiarize with these modern modeling tools.
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