Mike Bithell MA PhD

Assistant Director of Research in Computing

Interests lie in numerical modelling of spatially distributed systems, including fluid flow, atmospheric physics, climate and its interaction with ecosystems and socio-economic processes.

Biography

Career:

1999-2002 Research Staff, School of Geography and the Environment, Oxford.
1992-1999 Senior Research Fellow, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory

Qualifications:

MA, Physics, University of Cambridge
PhD. Astrophysics, University of Cambridge

Research

Current interests include:

Techniques for dealing with irregularly distributed data in three dimensions.
Simulation of discrete particle flows and their interactions with fluids.
Multi-agent simulation models of population dynamics and the emergence of structure in complex systems
Generation of robust models for socio-economic systems and their relation to environmental change

PhD supervision:

I am willing to supervise on topics that cover computational modelling of spatial processes, including

Agent based and individual-based of societies and ecological systems
Discrete Element models and debris flows
Environmental fluid flow modelling
Coupling of physical, ecological and social systems and interactions between people and their environment

Publications

Recent publications

Parry, H, and Bithell, M., (2011), "Large scale agent-based modelling: a review and guidelines for model scaling." in Agent-Based Models of Geographical Systems, Heppenstall, A.J.; Crooks, A.T.; See, L.M.; Batty, M. (Eds.), Springer, 759 p. ISBN 978-90-481-8926-7
Bithell, M., and Brasington, J., (2009), "Coupling agent-based models of subsistence farming with individual-based forest models and dynamic models of water distribution", Environmental Modelling and Software, 24, 173-190. doi:10.1016/j.envsoft.2008.06.016
Bithell, M., Brasington, J., and Richards, K.S., (2008), "Discrete-element, individual-based and agent-based models: tools for interdisciplinary enquiry in geography?", Geoforum, 39,625-642. doi:10.1016/j.geoforum.2006.10.014
Bithell, M., and Macmillan, W., (2007). "Escape from the cell: spatial modelling with and without grids". Ecological Modelling, 200, 59-78. doi:10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2006.07.031
Bharwani,S., Bithell, M., Downing, T.E., New, M., Washington, R.,and Ziervogel, G., (2005), "Multi-Agent Modelling of Climate Outlooks and Food Security on a community Garden Scheme in Limpopo, South Africa", Phil Trans. Roy. Soc. Ser. B, 360, 2183-2194. doi:10.1098/rstb.2005.1742
Ziervogel,G., Bithell,M. Washington, R. and Downing, T., 2005, "Agent-based social simulation: a method for assessing the impact of seasonal climate forecast applications among smallholder farmers", Agricultural Systems 83, 1-26. doi:10.1016/j.agsy.2004.02.009
Richards, K, Bithell, M, Dove, M and Hodge, R (2004) "Discrete element modelling: methods and applications in the environmental sciences." Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. London, Ser A 362, 1-20. doi:10.1098/rsta.2004.1429
Richards, K, Bithell, M, and Bravo, M (2004) "Space, time and science: towards a geographical philosophy." In: Common Heritage, Shared Future: Perspectives on the Unity of Geography; eds Matthews, JA and Herbert, D T, London, Routledge