Lund University

The purpose of the course is to introduce discrete event simulation, basic optimization approaches, and heuristic methods such as simulated annealing, tabu search, and evolutionary algorithms. The course begins by studying discrete event simulation. Students learn to write process-oriented and event-scheduling simulation programs in general programming languages. Estimation of accuracy, random number generation, methods for studying rare events, verification and validation are also covered. The next topic covered is optimization techniques. Linear programs (LP) and the simplex algorithm are studied. This is followed by integer programming (IP) and Mixed Integer Programming (MIP), the relation between IP and LP, and the branch-and-bound method for IP. Finally, heuristic and meta-heuristic methods for combinatorial optimization problems are viewed as optimization through simulation. The local search and its most common variations are explained along with the Monte Carlo techniques.

This course focuses on common principles at the heart of the functioning of modern communication networks and shows how the same notions related to connectivity, resilience and fragility, centrality and influence arise in several different domains. It introduces mathematical tools from graph theory, random graphs, dynamical systems, optimization and game theory, and covers a wide variety of applications including: opinion dynamics and learning in social networks; economic and financial networks; communication networks and the Internet; consensus and gossiping; spread and control of epidemics; dynamics and control of transportation and power networks.

This course provides students with a holistic view of the water environment so that it treats water both from physical and biological viewpoints. The main topics are: water resources, the hydrological cycle and processes, lakes and running water, ecological concepts, nutrient cycles, human impact. The course contents cover water resources and water circulation (hydrological processes, precipitation, evaporation, infiltration, soil, and groundwater and runoff) and also the circulation of nutrients, food webs, water chemistry, and species knowledge (ecological relationship between organisms and the aquatic environment). The course is divided in to three blocks: 1) Physical/chemical mechanisms, 2) Organisms, and 3) Restoration. Block 1 and Block 2 are covered mainly during period 1 and block 3 is covered during period 2.

The course provides students with specialized knowledge of the most recent scientific and technological developments within neurobiology. Students learn about the basic mechanisms and experimental strategies within different fields of neurological research. The course consists of two parts: 1) fundamental and basic neurobiology, and 2) brain diseases and treatments. The course covers the following fields: the functional neuroanatomy of the brain; cellular and molecular neurobiology; neurodegenerative diseases; network-related diseases.

This course is comprised of three sub-courses. Students must take all three sub-courses. The first sub-course focuses on analysis. This sub-course provides students with an overview of various advanced methods of data analysis and the statistical tools necessary to analyze current research in the discipline of psychology. The focus is primarily on multivariate analysis. The teaching includes theory and practice in analytical methods, in particular quantitative methods of data analysis.

The course gives a general introduction to the field of Physical Geography and Ecosystems Sciences. The course covers the processes in the lithosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and the atmosphere. The course consists of four partially integrated sub-sections. The first part covers basic mineralogy, geology and soil science. Geomorphology (landscape features) is introduced, covering endogenous, exogenous, and ecological processes, abiotic and biotic developments and transformations of the landscape, and changes to the landscape at different spatial and temporal scales. The second part deals with meteorological, climatological, hydrological, and oceanographic processes and relationships at different scales. The third part covers ecosystem processes including vegetation dynamics, and the relationship between climate and the development of soil types in different biomes. Finally, in the fourth part students are introduced to remote sensing and GIS-technology. During the course, the students gain practical skills in performing presentations, in communication, computing, and library resources. Students are introduced to different methods used to gather data and information about the environment, using different field data collection techniques, remote sensing (aerial photographs and satellite images) to make maps and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to analyze different environmental issues. Students gain analytical tools and methods for describing processes and phenomena in the world around them. The course consists of lectures, practical exercises, field visits and exercises, seminars, groups and individual project work. The exam is a traditional written exam.