Model Structure Indentification and the Growth of Knowledge

This chapter honors Peter, then, in recounting my career-long experience (1970–2010) of staring down the devilishly difficult: the problem of model structure identification—of using models for discovery. I still regard this matter as one of the grand challenges of environmental modeling (Beck et al., White Paper, 2009). If I appear modest about our progress in the presence of such enormity, so I am. But let no-one presume that I am therefore not greatly enthused by the progress I believe I and my students (now colleagues) have made over these four decades. It has been a privilege to be allowed the time to work on such a most attractive and engaging topic.