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Complexity Complex Report

Complexity Complex Report 14 May 2008 R.S.MacKay The Complexity Complex is an association of research activities in Complexity Science around the University of Warwick, with the aim of supporting, connecting, stimulating and catalysing research in complexity science. It grew out of:· Quantum phenomena and complex systems seminar series, a joint initiative between Mathematics and Physics, which began around 2001, and metamorphosed into the Complexity Science Forum in October 07· Sociodynamics seminar series, a joint series of workshops between Mathematics and Economics, which began in Apr 01, obtained ESRC funding Oct 03 – Sep 05, continued to Jan 06, and has now been absorbed into the Complexity Science Forum.· Interdisciplinary programme for cellular regulation, an EPSRC Maths and Life Sciences critical mass grant, Oct 03 – Sep 08· Coordination by MacKay of the international nodes of COSnet (Complex Open systems network), an Australian research council initiative, Sep 04 – Aug 09 (Brazil, Brunei, China, France, Israel, Netherlands, UK, USA)· Hosting an EPSRC visiting fellow, Kuni Kaneko, jointly with Jensen (IC) and Broomhead (Manchester), Sep 04· Complex Systems group: networks, dynamics and interacting agents, created within Mathematical Interdisciplinary Research at Warwick in Oct 04 to capitalise on simultaneous activity in complex systems and coordinate development.· UNInet, an EC NEST network, coordinated by Markus Kirkilionis, Jul 05 – Jun 08, “Unifying networks in science and society”· Complex Markets, an EC NEST network, coordinated by Mark Salmon, Jul 05 – Jun 08, on complex financial markets It reached critical mass with:· the award of 6 RCUK fellowships in Complexity Science in May 06 (in Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science, Engineering, Medicine and Psychology)· the award of an EPSRC doctoral training centre in Complexity Science in Aug 06· the hosting of an EPSRC training school 11-17 Sep 06 and an IMA conference 18-21 Sep 06, on Mathematics in the Science of Complex Systems. An official launch event was held on 22 Sep 06, opened by the Vice Chancellor Nigel Thrift. Partner research centres and groups around campus include:· Centre for fusion, space and astrophysics· Warwick Systems Biology· Molecular Organisation and Assembly in cells DTC· Centre for Scientific Computing· Discrete Mathematics and its Applications· Warwick Business School (including former Information Systems research unit)· Ecology and epidemiology group· Mathematical Interdisciplinary Research at Warwick· Health Sciences Research Institute: Complexity and health care research group
It has · recruited Mauro Mobilia on an EPSRC grant Oct-Dec 07 and Maths dept money Jan 08, and is hosting him Feb 08 – Jul 09 on a Swiss NSF fellowship· run a training school on Evolutionary dynamics, 11-13 Dec 07· run several workshops, including Pattern formation in particle systems 25 Feb 08, Statistical complexity 18 Feb 08, Discrete complex systems and probability 4 Feb 08· bid (unsuccesfully) to coordinate an EC Initial Training Network with nodes in Leipzig, Paris, Turin, Warwick and Zurich· bid (unsuccessfully) for a Leverhulme Trust programme grant in Dynamical networks (£1.5M, involving biologists, economists and operations research)· participated in the European Conference on Complex Systems, Dresden 1-6 Oct 07, and Venice Mathematics in Complex Systems workshop, 5-7 Mar 08· secured an EPSRC/ESRC PhD studentship on Social Networks and Health· secured funding from EPSRC on ‘Emergence’ for collaborations in three projects: Emerging Sustainability. SJ Bell, R Durie, T Haggis, C Cerulli, A Espinosa, F Griffiths, AJ Heppenstall. EPSRC EP/E062075/1 02 Sep 07 - 01 Sept 10; The emergence of artificial culture in robot societies. Winfield A, Durie R, Tennant-Jackson J, Sutcliffe A, Crawford J, Griffiths F. EPSRC. EP/E062083/1 01/04/2007 - 31/03/2011; EmergeNet (Merali): 1/10/07-30/09/11, inaugural meeting held at Warwick 23 April 08· secured ESRC funding for a project using social science qualitative methods: Discerning dynamics for understanding chronic illness. PI: Frances Griffiths. Co-applicants: Jeff Borkan, Dave Byrne, Ben Crabtree, Sally Lamb, Antje Lindenmeyer, Michael Parchman, Shmuel Reis, Jackie Sturt. ESRC. 01.01.08 - 31.10.08· Merali is a member of EPSRC digital economy clusters on e-health and on creative industries· submitted a bid to EPSRC for a Maths Research Centre Symposium for Sep 09 – Aug 10 on Mathematics of Complexity Science and Systems Biology (£240K)· submitted a bid to EC FET Science of complex systems for socially intelligent ICT on Human Patterns (coordinator: Kirkilionis); network with Stuttgart, Hannover, Wien, Zurich, Girona, Torino/Jerusalem· submitted an outline bid for a Science and Innovation grant on Management and design of complex systems (principal departments: Maths, Economics and WMG)· submitted a bid to the Warwick Institute for Advanced Study for an incubation award on Complexity and social science (4K, led by Yasmin Merali)· submitted a bid to the Warwick Institute for Advanced Study for a training school in computational biology (25K, led by Jianfeng Feng)· part of an EC coordination action proposal for Science of complex systems and socially intelligent ICT· submitting a Science Bridges bid with China on computational biology· involved in a Science Bridges bid with Boston on quantitative social science and other topics It runs· an annual strategy committee, 23 Jan 07, 16 Jan 08· Complexity Science Forum, a weekly seminar in term-time· Complexity and Social Science reading group It is involved in· Collaboration scoping with Boston University, including think-tank in Torino 8-9 Feb 08· Submitting a bid to EPSRC Maths for a programme grant on dynamics of networks· Low carbon society strategy group at Warwick· Advising EPSRC on ERAnet in Complexity Science, research in Complexity and Energy, and OECD global science forum on Complexity and social policy· Advising the CNRS (France) on Complexity Science· Writing an invited open problems paper for Nonlinearity on Nonlinearity in Complexity Science It will· run a workshop on Networks and organisation in cell biology, 23 May 08· have Sid Redner (Boston) to visit 10-17 Jul 08 It is setting up a Centre for Complexity Science, to provide a focus for research activity at the postdoctoral level, to be located alongside the Complexity Science doctoral training centre in the new extension to the Zeeman building to be opened in June 08. Some research themes that are emerging include:· Emergent behaviour: identification and measurement· Interacting particle systems; zero range, aggregation, granular systems· Network identification and dynamics· Time series and their spatial generalisations, from astrophysics to neurophysiology· Social systems and health· Adaptive interactive dynamics in markets and games For more, see http://go.warwick.ac.uk/complexity