Gregory J. Dunham

Qualitative Reasoning Group
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Northwestern University

gdunham@northwestern.edu

Education

M.S. in Computer Science, June 2005
Northwestern University
Professor Kenneth D. Forbus, advisor

B.A. in Computing & Information Systems, June 2002
Northwestern University

Projects

FreeCiv AI (2005)

Ken Forbus, et al., Qualitative Reasoning Group, Northwestern University
The FreeCiv AI project creates an interface between a FreeCiv game and an existing reasoning engine. This serves as an experimentation platform for learning domain strategies.

• Worked with a small team to define perceptual interface and represent game ontology.
• Designed and implemented a knowledge-driven model of user interactions with scripts.
• Built Common Lisp infrastructure for experimenting with case-construction, generalization, analogical retrieval, and analogical problem solving in FreeCiv.

dexp (2005)

Greg Dunham, Qualitative Reasoning Group, Northwestern University
The Distributed Experiments (dexp) tool is a framework for conducting distributed experiments on a large UNIX cluster.

• Architected and implemented object-oriented API for experiments using Common Lisp.
• Deployed P2P tools for asynchronous distribution of very large resources among nodes.
• Developed fault-tolerant execution system to coordinate parallel distribution of experiments: balance load, sync code, run work units, and collect results.

TDGs (2004)

Ken Forbus, et al., Qualitative Reasoning Group, Northwestern University
Tactical Decision Games (TDGs) are battlefield role-playing scenarios. In the Companion Cognitive Systems project, a small team ran analogical learning experiments in the TDG domain.

• Used Common Lisp and the FIRE reasoning engine to explore techniques for improving analogical retrieval and analogical problem solving.

Erosion Model for NetLogo (2004)

Uri Wilensky, Center for Connected Learning and Computer-Based Modeling, Northwestern University
"Erosion" is an agent-based simulation of soil erosion caused by flowing water.

• Authored simulation for the NetLogo multi-agent modeling environment.
• Adapted by CCL for inclusion in the NetLogo Models Library.

nuWar (2003 - 2004)

Ken Forbus, et al., Qualitative Reasoning Group, Northwestern University
nuWar is a prototype sketch-based strategy game built around an existing battlefield sketching application. It was designed as a knowledge capture tool that would engage expert military users.

• Designed perceptual and motor interfaces for AI control of game agents.
• Did knowledge representation for bot AI using SADL, an action description language.
• Presented at Artificial Intelligence and Interactive Digital Entertainment (AIIDE 2005).

FlexBot (2001 - 2003)

Aaron Khoo, Greg Dunham, Nick Trienens, Sanjay Sood, Northwestern University
FlexBot is an API for creating server-side NPC agents for Half-Life. It was built as a platform for experimentation: users have explored ideas for both games and robot control techniques.

• Developed an object-oriented perceptual system for the game engine and defined external interfaces using C++.
• Authored NPC agent control programs using techniques from behavior-based robotics.
• Built modular debugging and interaction tools using Perl and SQL.
• Used as a teaching tool in a robotics course at Northwestern University.
• Presented at the 2002 AAAI Intelligent Systems Demonstration.

Publications

• Greg Dunham, Ken Forbus, Jeff Usher, "nuWar: A Prototype Sketch-Based Strategy Game", Proceedings of the First Artificial Intelligence and Interactive Digital Entertainment International Conference (AIIDE 2005), Marina Del Rey, CA. [pdf]
• Aaron Khoo, Greg Dunham, Nick Trienens, Sanjay Sood, "Efficient, Realistic NPC Control Systems using Behavior-Based Techniques", Proceedings of the AAAI 2002 Spring Symposium Series: Artificial Intelligence and Interactive Entertainment, Menlo Park, CA. [pdf]
• Aaron Khoo, Robin Hunicke, Greg Dunham, Nick Trienens and Muon Van, "FlexBot, Groo, Patton and Hamlet: Research using Computer Games as a Platform", Technical content paper for Intelligent Systems Demonstration, Proceedings of the Eighteenth National Conference on Artificial Intelligence, Edmonton, 2002.

System Demonstration

• Aaron Khoo, Greg Dunham, Nick Trienens, "FlexBot, Groo, Patton and Hamlet: Research using Computer Games as a Platform", Intelligent Systems Demonstration at 2002 AAAI Conference in Edmonton.

Work Experience

Research Assistant, August 2003 - Present
Qualitative Reasoning Group, Department of Computer Science, Northwestern University

Independent Software Developer, May 2002 - September 2002
The Manager's Workshop v3.0, published by Prentice Hall in 2003

Undergraduate Researcher, June 2001 - August 2002
Autonomous Mobile Robotics Group, Department of Computer Science, Northwestern University

Teaching Experience

Teaching Assistant, Spring 2005
Artificial Intelligence in Interactive Entertainment, Northwestern University
Assistant to Professor Kenneth D. Forbus
Led several classroom discussions. Met with students upon request.

Teaching Assistant, Spring 2004
Introduction to Game Design, Northwestern University
Assistant to Professor Kenneth D. Forbus
Met with students upon request. Assisted with assignment grading.

Undergraduate Teaching Assistant, Fall 2000, Spring 2001, and Fall 2001
Data Structures and Data Management, Northwestern University
Assistant to Seth Tisue (Fall 2000, Spring 2001) and Vana Doufexi (Fall 2001)
Hands-on C++ assistance for students during lab hours. Assisted with exam grading.

Awards

• Cognitive Science University Fellowship, September 2002 - June 2003, Northwestern University Cognitive Science Program

Memberships

• American Association for Artificial Intelligence (AAAI)