Dynamics of Complex Systems: Complexity in Ecology
An MIT graduate seminar examining complexity theory as applied to ecological systems. The course pairs classical papers with recent literature, pushing students to connect quantitative models to real experimental and observational data rather than treating complexity as a purely abstract framework. Class meets twice weekly for roundtable discussions, so the reading list and discussion questions carry the course rather than lecture slides. Topics move across population dynamics, food webs, and ecosystem stability, with students expected to critique the mathematical assumptions behind published models. Materials are available through MIT OpenCourseWare under its standard open license, including the syllabus and reading assignments used in the actual MIT class. There is no certificate, but the full set of course materials, including primary literature citations, is free to use for self-study or as the basis for a reading group.