Eberlein, Robert L.

Research Interests:

I am currently engaged in the Health and Prosperity Modeling Initiative intended to provide insights into developing conditions in Singapore’s health care system and policy options for dealing with those. By combining the knowledge of system participants across different domains with available data we aim to develop simulation models that can inform important public policy problems. But, beyond the challenges of such research, the insights and understanding gained are exceptionally difficult to convey to policy makers and other system stakeholders. I have devoted my career to the synthesis of problem solving, primarily in consulting settings, and tool development in support of that. The technical nature of the tools I have developed, most notably the Vensim® simulation software, has constrained their use. By providing tools, techniques and language that are clear and meaningful to problem owners I believe we can significantly deepen the impact of academic research on policy makers, the public and ultimately the heath system.

I received a BA in economics from the University of British Columbia and a PhD in management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. I have worked in consulting and software development for Pugh Roberts Associate and Ventana Systems, Inc. and held academic appointments with the University of Alberta, Shanghai Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School.

Selected Publications:

"Alternative Modeling Approaches : A Case Study in the Oil and Gas Industry." Proceedings of the 20th International Conference of the System Dynamics Society, Palerma, Italy, with Scott Johnson

"Overshooting the Limits," Quantum Volume 8(1) 1997.

"Reality Check: A bridge between systems thinking and system dynamics," System Dynamics Review Vol 10(2-3), 1994 with David Peterson.

"Understanding Models With Vensim", in Modeling for Learning Organizations John D.W. Morecroft and John D. Sterman editors, Portland Oregon, Productivity Press , 1994 with David W. Peterson.

"Enhancing the Simulation Process", Proceedings of the 1991 Summer Computer Simulation Conference, Baltimore, Maryland, 1991, with David W. Peterson