Dissertation Projects
 
Here is a list of dissertation project ideas that require some further thoughts and discussions. Some of these are more research oriented (focusing on building a test bed for scientific investigations, evaluated via experimentation) and others are more engineering oriented (focusing on software development, evaluated via software and user tests). All projects are open to modification and negotiation, if you think you have a good idea to make them more interesting.
 
Please note that I will be on Study Leave in the Summer 2024 term and will not be available for MSc dissertation supervision during this period. However, I am happy to take on full year MSC dissertation supervision from September 2024 onwards.
 
 
Research Oriented Project Ideas
 
Building a test bed for scientific investigations, evaluated via experimentation.
 
  • Applying machine-learning and data visualisation methods for analysing JASSS publications
  • Prototyping ideas for SimPy/AgentPy/Mesa extentions (good programming skills in Python required)
  • Testing different ways of knowledge representation in the Hybrid Climate Assessment Model (see here for more)
  • Testing the usefulness of AI decision modelling through "utility theory" and "fuzzy logic" (see here for more)
    • Application example: Optimising software development team compositions
  • Energy-efficient data forwarding in mobile wireless sensor networks
    • Mixing behavioural and software agent modelling + optimisation
    • Application example: Simulating the use of ad-hoc sensors to track elephant movement
  • Benchmarking work efficiency for software maintenance
  • Smart transportation/smart roads/smart cities
    • Using data science methods to improve the "Smarter Travel - Nottingham" platform (see here for frontend)
    • Novel modelling/simulation approaches for exploring smart transportation/smart roads/smart cities ideas (e.g. modelling knowledge as an abstract agent)
  • Exploring opportunities for simulating manual assembly lines more effectively with the help of artificial intelligence (see here for more)
  • Generating synthetic populations for simulation models
 
Software Engineering Oriented Project Ideas
 
Software development, evaluated via software and user tests.
 
  • Developing a 2D simulation game for teaching Systems Thinking (good software development skills required) (see here for more)
  • Creating a web presence (frontend + backend) for the Reporting Standard for Rigour and Transparency for Data Use in Agent-Based Modelling (good web development skills required) [paper link]
  • Maintaining and extending the Hybrid Climate Assessment Model (see here for more)
    • Generating synthetic populations for simulation models
  • Maintaining and extending the UoN ABM Toolkit
    • Add editor for state machine diagrams (drawing; error check; translation into code)
    • Add process flow elements to allow hybrid DES/ABS modelling
    • Add an optimisation engine (e.g. HeuristicLab)
  • Developing an uncommon (card)game with virtual (AI driven) players which can help the elderly to have a greater awareness of their own energy consumption (previous implementations include an adapted version of Yaniv)
  • Improving "code2uml", a tool for generating UML class diagrams from java .class/.jar files (see here for more)
  • Creating a multi-agent system basketball emulator in Java/Python (inspired by Buckland (2005) Chapter 4)
  • Providing additional statistics for Google Scholar profiles
  • Smart transportation/smart roads/smart cities
    • Adding more functionality to the "Smarter Travel - Nottingham" platform (see here for frontend)
 
Back to Top

 
Advice for Dissertation Students
 
 
  • Technical Skills for Thriving in Graduate Studies (YouTube Video Series) [link]
  • David Taylor - Scientific Writing and Reading Skills (YouTube Channel) [link]
    • How to Write a Literature Review in 30 Minutes or Less [link]
    • How to Read a Journal Article in 10 Minutes or Less [link]
    • How to Write a Research Proposal - Undergrad, Masters, Doctoral [link]
    • Giving an Academic Talk (targeted at conference presentations, but but most of this also applies to dissertation presentations) [link]
  • Miscellaneous
    • Academia Stackexchange: Is there a convention on how to write pseudocode in scientific papers? [link]
  • Internal Moodle links (only accessble for students signed up for the module)
    • BSc Project 22/23: Moodle Page [link]
    • BSc Project 22/23: Project Handbook [link]
    • Enhanced MSc Project 22/23: Moodle Page [link]
    • Enhanced MSc Project 22/23: Student Handbook [link]
    • Enhanced MSc Project 22/23: Supervisor Handbook [link]
    • MSc Project 22/23: Moodle Page [link]
 
Back to Top

This site uses cookies to anonymously measure how people use it!