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
Setting an Example for US Service Members, Veterans at MIT Sloan
The MIT Sloan School of Management has established the Michael Ernst Memorial Fellowship to honor the legacy of Michael T. Ernst, SFMBA ’22.
4 areas where companies need AI guardrails
To avoid redundant investments, applications that don’t scale, and unexpected costs and risks associated with AI, organizations should determine where oversight is likely to have the greatest impact.
Alexandre Jacquillat named faculty director of MIT Sloan’s Master of Business Analytics degree program
Building on a decade of leadership in data science and AI, the program connects industry with MIT Sloan research, faculty, and students through a consortium and a hands-on capstone project.
Fenway Farms
Fenway Farms is a 5,000-square-foot rooftop garden located on the third-base side of Fenway Park. Established in 2015, the farm supplies the ballpark’s kitchens with fresh produce and grows more than 6,000 pounds of organic vegetables each year.
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 Management Johan's research examines power. Recently-developed technologies–including generative AI–allow…
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 More
Example PhD Thesis Topics
-
Jose Lopez (2024)
-
James Paine (2023)
-
Tianyi Li (2021)
-
Tse Yang Lim (2021)
-
Jad Sassine (2021)