Abstract
During the Social Simulation Conference 2023 in Glasgow a discussion in one of the general sessions brought the idea to have an informal description of the past, present, and future of agent-based social simulation. Who better to offer such a paper than the collection of ESSA presidents so far? It forms the core of the ESSA organizational memory is you wish, and given the variety in backgrounds, experiences, and interests among them, there is something for everyone, reflecting the multitude of positions in the ESSA and SSC community.