Modelling and Simulation for e-Social Science through the Use of Service- Orientation and Web 2.0 Technologies Paul Townend 1 , Jie Xu 1 , Mark Birkin 2 , Andy Turner 2 , Belinda Wu 2 1 School of Computing, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT 2 School of Geography, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT pt@comp.leeds.ac.uk Abstract. This paper reports on the progress that has been made in the system infrastructure/visualisation aspect of the Modelling and Simulation for e-Social Science (MoSeS) project at the University of Leeds. Until recently, user interaction with MoSeS models has been achieved through a series of JSR-168 compliant portlets, which offers users a web-based interface to MoSeS. This paper presents the new service-enabled MoSeS architecture, and seeks to discuss both the advantages and disadvantages of the move towards service-orientation, as well as describing the use of Web 2.0 technology within MoSeS in greater detail, and discussing the benefits of using this technology in MoSeS. 1. Introduction MoSeS (Modelling and Simulation for e-Social Science) is a research node of the National Centre for e-Social Science (NCeSS). MoSeS aims to use e-Science techniques to develop a national demographic model and simulation of the UK population, specified at the level of individuals and households, stretching thirty years into the future. The specific aims of the MoSeS project are as follows: 1) To create a flagship modelling and simulation node, in which the capabilities of Grid Computing are mobilised to develop tools whose power and flexibility surpasses existing and previous research outputs. 2) To demonstrate the applicability of grid-enabled modelling and simulation tools within a variety of substantive research and policy environments. 3) To provide a generic framework through which grid-enabled modelling and simulation might be exploited within any problem domain. 4) To encourage the creation of a community of social scientists and policy users with a shared interest in modelling and simulation for e-social science problems. There are an abundance of simulation games relating to people, cities and societies (past, present and future). We pose the question of what would be the impact of transferring these simulations into a real world environment. Our specific interest is in cities and regions, with an aim of building simulation models of interactions between individuals, groups or