PhD
System Dynamics
MIT Sloan’s System Dynamics PhD group, established by Professor Jay W. Forrester in 1956, equips students with the theoretical, methodological, and philosophical tools to analyze system behaviors across various fields, including management, environmental change, politics, economics, medicine, and engineering. The group integrates organization studies, behavioral decision theory, and engineering to understand and influence dynamic changes over time. Students engage in comprehensive studies of system principles, economic and industrial dynamics, and policy analysis, supplemented by coursework in economics, information systems, statistics, and political science. Faculty members like Hazhir Rahmandad, who explores complex organizational dynamics and public health issues; John Sterman, known for his work on system dynamics modeling and sustainability; and Vicky Chuqiao Yang, who studies collective human behavior and decision-making, provide invaluable guidance and expertise.
Research from System Dynamics Faculty
From MIT to Global Growth Markets and Back
What do pink hens, digital twins, and mighty microbes have in common? MIT – and global changemakers seeking to transform their regions.
4 actions for business to help curb carbon emissions
By
MIT Sloan climate expert John Sterman spells out the actions businesses can take to mitigate the economic and ecological harms of global warming.
Mind and Hand (& Heart): Embracing challenges with the MIT EMBA
Dominic Aloia is Global Head of Accounting at Tradeweb and a member of the MIT Executive MBA Class of 2025
4 new studies about agentic AI from MIT
By
New research ranges from how AI agents negotiate to how “personality pairing” can optimize human-AI collaboration.
Select System Dynamics Faculty
Full-Time Faculty
Johan Chu
Hear name pronounced.Sarofim Family Career Development Assistant Professor
Johan Chu is the Sarofim Family Career Development Assistant Professor and an Assistant Professor of System Dynamics at the MIT Sloan School of ManagementJohan’s research examines the shifting bases of social power and corporate advantage. Recently…
Learn More
Hazhir Rahmandad
Hear name pronounced.Schussel Family Professor of Management Science
Hazhir Rahmandad is the Schussel Family Professor of Management Science and a Professor of System Dynamics at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Hazhir's research shows how complex organizational dynamics can lead to heterogeneity in organizational…
Learn More
Nelson P. Repenning
School of Management Distinguished Professor of System Dynamics and Organization Studies
Nelson P. Repenning is the Faculty Director of the MIT Leadership Center, and the School of Management Distinguished Professor of System Dynamics and Organization Studies at the MIT Sloan School of Management. His early work focused on understanding…
Learn MoreExample PhD Thesis Topics
-
Jose Lopez (2024)
-
James Paine (2023)
-
Tianyi Li (2021)
-
Tse Yang Lim (2021)
-
Mahdi Hashemian (2020)