  We present a method for approximating the solution of a parameterized,
nonlinear dynamical system using an affine combination of solutions computed at
other points in the input parameter space. The coefficients of the affine
combination are computed with a nonlinear least squares procedure that
minimizes the residual of the governing equations. The approximation properties
of this residual minimizing scheme are comparable to existing reduced basis and
POD-Galerkin model reduction methods, but its implementation requires only
independent evaluations of the nonlinear forcing function. It is particularly
appropriate when one wishes to approximate the states at a few points in time
without time marching from the initial conditions. We prove some interesting
characteristics of the scheme including an interpolatory property, and we
present heuristics for mitigating the effects of the ill-conditioning and
reducing the overall cost of the method. We apply the method to representative
numerical examples from kinetics - a three state system with one parameter
controlling the stiffness - and conductive heat transfer - a nonlinear
parabolic PDE with a random field model for the thermal conductivity.
