Foundations and Methods of Stochastic Simulation: A First Course

by Barry L. Nelson, Linda Pei

This graduate-level textbook covers modelling, programming and analysis of stochastic computer simulation experiments, including the mathematical and statistical foundations of simulation and why it works. The book is rigorous and complete, but concise and accessible, providing all necessary background material. Object-oriented programming of simulations is illustrated in Python, while the majority of the book is programming language independent. In addition to covering the foundations of simulation and simulation programming for applications, the text prepares readers to use simulation in their research. A solutions manual for end-of-chapter exercises is available for instructors.

332 pages, Paperback

Published November 12, 2022

About the author

Barry L. Nelson is the James N. and Margie M. Krebs Professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences at Northwestern University and is director of the Master of Engineering Management Program there. His research centers on the design and analysis of computer-simulation experiments on models of stochastic systems, concentrating on multivariate input modeling and output analysis and on optimization via simulation. He has published numerous papers and two books. He has served as the simulation area editor of Operations Research and as president of the INFORMS (then TIMS) College on Simulation, and he has held many positions for the annual Winter Simulation Conference, including program chair in 1997 and board member currently.