Dr Gary Polhill

Gary Polhill did a degree in Artificial Intelligence and a PhD in Neural Networks before spending 18 months in industry as a professional programmer. Since 1997 he has been working at the Macaulay Institute on agent-based modelling of human-natural systems.

Research Interests

His work has been primarily focused on the FEARLUS agent-based model of land-use change and associated projects. He is interested in complex systems, social dilemmas, coupled human-natural systems modelling, semantic grid tools for facilitating and describing social simulations, and best practice in agent-based modelling, programming and design.

Gary's most recent publications

• Sinks, sustainability and conservation incentives., Gimona, A.; Polhill, G.; Davies, B., (In press) In: Sources, Sinks and Sustainability (Liu, J., Hull, V., Morzillo, A., and Wiens, J). Cambridge University Press.

• Size matters: large-scale replications of experiments with FEARLUS., Gotts, N.M.; Polhill, J.G., (In press) Advances in Complex Systems, Special issue of revised papers from ESSA 2009.

• Adaptive control of landscape biodiversity., Polhill, J.G.; Jarvis, A.; Gimona, A.; Gotts, N.M., (In press) Modelling for Environmnet's Sake, International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, 5th-8th July, 2010.

• Analysis of incentive schemes for biodiversity using a coupled agent-based model of land use change and species metacommunity model., Polhill, J.G.; Gimona, A.; Gotts, N.M., (2010) Modelling for Environment's Sake. International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, 5th-8th July 2010.

• Using qualitative evidence to enhance an agent-based modelling system for studying land use change., Polhill, J.G.; Sutherland, L.A.; Gotts, N.M., (2010) Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, 13(2)

• Lessons learned and prospects for agent-based modelling of land use effects on ecosystem processes and services., Aspinall, R.; Polhill, G., (2009) GLP Symposium on Agent Based Modelling of Land Use Effects on Ecosystem Processes and Services, US-IALE Symposium, Snowbird, Utah, 12th-16th April 2009.

• e-Social science and evidence-based policy assessment: challenges and solutions., Edwards, P.; Farrington, J.; Mellish, C.; Philip, L.; Chorley, A.H.; Hielkema, F.; Pignotti, E.; Reid, R.; Polhill, J.G.; Gotts, N.M., (2009) Social Science Computer Review, 27, 553-568.

• When and how to imitate your neighbours: lessons from and for FEARLUS., Gotts, N.M.; Polhill, J.G., (2009) Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation 12(3), 2.

• Narrative scenarios, mediating formalisms, and the agent-based simulation of land use change., Gotts, N.M.; Polhill, J.G., (2009) Epistemological Aspects of Computer Simulation in the Social Sciences, Proceedings from 2nd International Workshop on Epistemological Perspectives on Simulation (EPOS), Brescia, Italy, 4-5 October 2006. Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 5466, 99-116.

• Agent based modelling in GILDED and at Macaulay land Use Research Institute., Gotts, N.M.; Polhill, J.G.; Gimona, A.; Davies, B.; Matthews, R., (2009) University of Groningen, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Institute of Political Science, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, University of South Bohemia, 6th July -13th July 2009.