F. LeRon Shults

Professor F. LeRon Shults is director of the "Modeling Religion in Norway" (MODRN) project, which utilizes multi-agent artificial intelligence computational models to study the mechanisms of social change in human societies. Although his early training was in the humanities, when LeRon discovered social simulation technologies he felt like he met the methodology he was separated from at birth. Computer modeling not only allows the integration of multiple theories across a wide variety of disciplines, it also facilitates experimentation with "artificial societies" that can contribute to the understanding and evaluation of policies that are relevant for governments, NGOs, corporations, schools and other institutions.