F. LeRon Shults (PhD, PhD) is a professor at the Institute for Global Development and Planning at the University of Agder and Scientific Director of the NORCE Center for Modeling Social Systems in Kristiansand, Norway. His research spans computer simulation, multi-agent artificial intelligence, ethics, and philosophy of science. He has published eighteen books and over 130 articles or book chapters, most recently Practicing Safe Sects (Brill 2018) and Human Simulation (Springer 2019).
Shults' graduate training was in religious studies, and he is co-founder of 📝CulturePulse, where he collaborates with computer modelers to apply simulation methods to social-system research. He has more than 1,800 academic citations and once held the record for most papers posted in a year in Norway. His public work includes appearances on the DIGETHIX podcast on simulation research and presentations on predicting and preventing religious conflict using MAAI models.
LeRon is kind-hearted, blisteringly intelligent, and deeply passionate about bringing people together. We were introduced by his partner, 📝Justin Lane (PhD), who has been co-creating with him.