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GCRISystems Science and ModellingIn development
Systems Science and Modelling · Mandate and publisher

Mandate and publisher

Systems Science and Modelling is published by The Global Centre for Risk and Innovation (GCRI), working across Canada and the United States. This page sets out the platform's mandate, publisher, limits and current state. The platform home gives the overview.

Make an enquiry Back to Systems Science and Modelling
In this dossier6 parts
  1. 01In briefThe short answer
  2. 02MandateThe methods that every field depends on
  3. 03Publisher and statusWho is responsible, and what state the platform is in
  4. 04LimitsWhat the platform does not do
  5. 05Key termsTerms used on this page
  6. 06Development pathHow the platform opens

GCRI · In development · service level R0

STEM methods
8
Canonical methods this field applies
Topics
8
Subject pages in the field
Counterparts
6
Platforms in shared fields at GCRI, GRF and GRA
Report series
2
Nexus Reports series it contributes to
01In brief

The short answer.

Systems Science and Modelling is a specialist platform of The Global Centre for Risk and Innovation for methods and modelling, risk management and systemic risk, and research and evidence. Its mandate covers the shared mathematical and engineering foundation for every Nexus field. GCRI publishes it, answers for its content and takes no decision on anyone's behalf. It is in development at service level R0, and activities open as each is ready.

02Canvas

Mandate to authority.

Canvas · mandate to authorityDesign, not a record
How Systems Science and Modelling is governedA mandate sets the platform's scope; an editor and reviewers govern what it publishes; programmes and the community supply the work; the integrity route handles corrections; authority over decisions stays outside. Design of the governance, not a record.

Fig.How the platform is governed, from its mandate to the authorities who decide. Design, not a record.

03Geography

People and hazards in North America.

For mandate and publisher, in GCRI's spatial-intelligence reading, the map opens on true-colour imagery, night lights, population density and flood water with relief in 3D and true colour from NASA GIBS, framed on North America; every other NASA layer, live feed and forecast waits in the layer list.

The interactive map needs JavaScript; the layer list and sources are below.

Layers 4

People and hazards, for this page

Latest available

NASA GIBS / EOSDIS · ASTER GDEM (METI, NASA) · Blue Marble (NASA) · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Natural Earth

Loading the latest NASA imagery.

Drag to move. Ctrl or ⌘ and scroll, pinch or the buttons to zoom; hover for the values under the pointer; reset returns to the region.

For mandate and publisher, in GCRI's spatial-intelligence reading, the map opens on true-colour imagery, night lights, population density and flood water with relief in 3D and true colour from NASA GIBS, framed on North America; every other NASA layer, live feed and forecast waits in the layer list.Satellite and model products as NASA publishes them, each with its own date; indicators, not assessments of any place; claim ceiling INTEGRATED.

Data: NASA GIBS · ASTER GDEM · Blue Marble · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Natural Earth · GDACS · Copernicus Sentinel-2 L2A · NASA HLS S30Sources and licences

  • We acknowledge the use of imagery provided by services from NASA's Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS), part of NASA's Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS). Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
  • We acknowledge the use of imagery provided by services from NASA's Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS), part of NASA's Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS). Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
  • VIIRS near-real-time products (flood, land surface temperature, snow cover, corrected reflectance), NASA LANCE; imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
  • VIIRS Black Marble night-time lights, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center; distributed by the NASA Level-1 and Atmosphere Archive and Distribution System (LAADS DAAC); imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
  • Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Columbia University. 2018. Gridded Population of the World, Version 4 (GPWv4): Population Density, Revision 11. NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC). Licensed under CC BY 4.0. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). CC BY 4.0
  • MODIS land products (vegetation indices, gross primary production, land cover), NASA LP DAAC and LANCE; imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
  • GPM IMERG precipitation, NASA Precipitation Processing System; distributed by the NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC); imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
  • ASTER GDEM is a product of METI and NASA (ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model V003, NASA LP DAAC); imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
  • Made with Natural Earth. Free vector and raster map data @ naturalearthdata.com. Public domain
  • © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), via NASA GIBS (coastlines, boundaries, roads and place names). Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). ODbL
  • Blue Marble, NASA Earth Observatory; imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into H3 cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
  • Context on the globe and flat map: coastlines, boundaries, roads and place names from NASA GIBS reference layers (OpenStreetMap data, ODbL, © OpenStreetMap contributors); Blue Marble imagery as an optional base; 3D terrain and the elevation read-out from the ASTER GDEM elevation colour index (5 m to 200 m classes, exaggerated for legibility). Boundaries are drawn as published and imply no position on any territory.
  • Globe: MapLibre GL JS 6.9.1, BSD-3-Clause, © MapLibre contributors.
  • Live: GDACS (EC JRC / UN OCHA) Events are indicative, not official warnings.
  • Observed (EO): Copernicus Sentinel-2 L2A (contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2026), Microsoft Planetary Computer
  • Observed (EO): NASA HLS S30 (contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2026). We acknowledge the use of imagery provided by services from NASA's Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS), part of NASA's Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS).
  • Optional layers (35 sources in the layer list: live, forecast, observed and context) print their provider credit on the map and here when switched on; forecasts are model output and derived indices are estimates.

Layers and dates

  • True colour: VIIRS NOAA-20 corrected reflectance, NASA LANCE · 13 Oct 2026
  • Night-time lights, daily: VIIRS Black Marble (VNP46A2), NASA LAADS DAAC · 12 Oct 2026
  • Population density, 2020: Population: CIESIN, Columbia University, Gridded Population of the World v4.11 (2018), NASA SEDAC, CC BY 4.0 · static
  • Flood water, 3-day composite: VIIRS Global Flood Product, NASA LANCE · 14 Oct 2026
  • Land cover type (IGBP), yearly: MODIS Terra and Aqua land cover (MCD12Q1), NASA LP DAAC · 2024
  • Precipitation rate, daily mean: GPM IMERG, NASA GES DISC · 12 Oct 2026

04Mandate

The methods that every field depends on.

The platform's mandate is the shared mathematical and engineering foundation of the Nexus fields: how coupled systems are modelled, tested, validated and explained. Its methods are systems engineering, uncertainty quantification, network and complex-systems modelling, optimization, and model validation and intercomparison.

It was added in the V4 architecture because the field platforms all depend on modelling but no community owned the methods themselves. It is the STEM methods commons that connects every platform and the Nexus Foundry DSS and Labs systems.

05Publisher and status

Who is responsible, and what state the platform is in.

ItemFact
PublisherThe Global Centre for Risk and Innovation (GCRI)
Platform statusIn development: a Wave 1 candidate being built at its canonical root
Service levelR0: information and enquiries
Contactcontact@therisk.global for the Consortium Secretariat; research@therisk.global for research
AddressToronto, ON M4R 1V2
06Limits

What the platform does not do.

  • It does not certify, approve or license models, software or modellers.
  • It does not own the field models of other platforms; it documents methods for comparing and coupling them.
  • It does not make or endorse decisions based on model outputs.
  • It does not claim studies, protocols or participants before their records exist.

Governance, corrections and integrity routes are on GCRI governance and trust and the platform's trust page.

07Key terms

Terms used on this page.

Each term as this page uses it. Where a standard-setting body defines the term, the wording follows that body.

TermDefinition
Service level R0The current service level of Nexus pages: information and enquiries only. An enquiry receives a reference and a named next step; it creates no membership, contract, assignment or commitment.
Conflict of interestA situation in which financial, professional or personal interests could compromise, or appear to compromise, judgement in research or review.
ModelA simplified representation of a system used to understand it or explore its behaviour under stated assumptions.
VerificationConfirming that a system meets its specified requirements, often summarised as building it right.
08Development path

How the platform opens.

  1. 01

    Charter and editor

    A distinct charter and an expert editor for systems science.

  2. 02

    First methods

    Method notes starting with uncertainty and validation and reproducible modelling.

  3. 03

    First intercomparison

    A designed cross-field intercomparison, opened with a published protocol.

09Questions

Questions and answers.

Why is this a GCRI platform?
Because modelling methods are science. GRA's counterpart, Actuarial and Quantitative Risk, covers quantitative methods in financial risk.
When will the platform open?
No date is set. It is a Wave 1 candidate and opens in stages as its charter, editor and content are ready.
Who do I contact?
The research team at research@therisk.global. The acknowledgement gives a reference and names the next step.
Will the platform publish code?
Method notes and teaching material are designed to come with code and data where licences allow, so that results can be re-run. Each release states what is shared and what is not.
Can a modelling group join an intercomparison now?
Not yet. Each intercomparison opens with a published protocol. Groups can register interest by enquiry; the acknowledgement gives a reference and names the next step.
Related

Around Systems Science and Modelling.

Systems Science and Modelling

Bring your expertise to this field.

The current service level is R0: information and enquiries. An enquiry receives a reference and names the next step; applications, payments, compute allocations and registrations open only when their team, terms and review capacity exist.

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