Course Introduction
The course introduces basic concepts in evolutionary game theory, including evolutionarily stable strategies, replicator dynamics, finite populations, and games on networks, along with applications to social evolution, particularly to understanding human cooperation.
My Project
My project for the course is “Simulating Alternative Course Election Systems with Auction Theory”, done with So Amano, Saksham Arora, Federico Goudie, Alex Jones, and Jason Wang.
Abstract
This paper addresses the inefficiencies and anxieties associated with the current course election system at Dartmouth College. To provide students with more control and transparency, we propose an alternative course election system using auction theory. Students are allocated course election points, and the course election process is simulated as an auction. We study the effectiveness of different auction mechanisms and compare them with the allocation model currently in use. We associate different bidding strategies with student preferences and conduct auctions based on these strategies. We simulate course election “games” in which students bid on classes against each other, and then students who perform poorly in the auction are randomly assigned new strategies in the next round. Our suggested model results in an average utility score of 70% (meaning students satisfied 70% of their desired course utility, on average), compared to the current system at Dartmouth, which yields an average utility score of 61% according to collected survey data. Future research directions include exploring other auction mechanisms, refining assumptions, and tweaking simulation parameters.