Calendar

The Key Dates column in the following table includes both individual assignments (A1 and A2) and project assignments (P1, P2 and P3).

SES # TOPICS KEY DATES
1

Introduction: What this class is about, expected learning

Systems: What is a system and why you need to know about it, introduction to systems thinking

A1 assigned: Resume / statement of interests / complex system experience
2 Systems: Classes of systems (technical, sociotechnical, engineering systems)

A1 due

A2 assigned: Complex system description and issue identification

3 Systems: Sociotechnical systems and introduction to complexity
4 Systems: Complexity and more, with focus on uncertainty A2 due
5 Project: Introduction to Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF), the big issues and questions, introduction to resources P1 assigned: Representation of SNF CLIOS system
6 Systems: CLIOS process
7 Systems: CLIOS process (cont.) P1 due
8 Project: Review of P1 and instructor synthesis of P1; getting organized for the project work; at end of this class, students will have formed into working groups
9 Systems: Critical Contemporary Issues (CCI)
10 Systems: What is design? What do we mean by a system design? P2 assigned: Thinking about design for the SNF project
11 Systems: More on system design, the design aspects of the CLIOS process
12 Project: Class discussion on design concepts for the SNF project, system review
13 Mid-term quiz
14 Systems: Models and frameworks
15

Systems: Models and frameworks (cont.)

Discussion of midterm

Project: Team meetings on P2

16

Systems: Risk assessment

Project: Discussion of P3

P2 due

P3 (including Qualifying Problem) assigned

17 Systems: Risk assessment (cont.)
18 Project: Team meetings to select strategic alternatives
19 Project: Team meeting with Department of Energy secretary to finalize strategic alternatives Qualifying problem due
20 Systems: CLIOS stage 3 — implementation
21 Systems: Scenario planning Due: Final report outline for discussion the following class with Department of Energy secretary
22 Project: Team meetings with Department of Energy secretary to review progress and discuss final report outline
23 Systems: System dynamics 101
24 Project: Rehearsal of final presentations
25 Project final presentation
26 Class summary, systems recap, student evaluations P3 due