Complexity Science - 2016 Winter School

What is complexity science? What are complex systems?

And why do physicists like Stephen Hawking and Heinz Pagels think complexity science will be a dominant force, not only in shaping our pursuit of scientific truth, but also in changing how we think about societies, and our place in them?

The 2016 Winter School provides an overview of complexity and complex systems science that empowers participants search for their own answers to these questions. The knowledge gained will enable participants to apply complexity science ideas in their own domains.

Essentially, the school will:

• Teach basic aspects of complexity and complex systems, answering the question: What makes a system complex? Aspects that will be covered include nonlinearity, order disorder & chaos, emergence and complex adaptive systems
• Introduce methods, models and simulation tools to study the behaviours of complex systems and provide hands-on experience on through the use of software for building, simulating and visualizing complex networks. Participants are encouraged to bring their own data, work in groups mentored by instructors. Participants will then have the opportunity to present their own findings at the end of the week long course.
• Provide insights into how complexity manifests itself in real life e.g. politics & governance, eco-systems, cities and spreading phenomena such as rumours, epidemics, economics and innovation.

RENOWNED LECTURERS

Well known experts from Singapore (Peter M. A. Sloot and J. Stephen Lansing) and abroad (Brian Arthur, Geoffrey West​, David Matchar​ and Stefan Thurner​) will conduct the lectures & hands-on sessions, lead discussions, provide coaching and supervision.

PROGRAMME​

THEME: DYNAMIC COMPLEX NETWORKS​

There are three lectures every morning to introduce various concepts, theories and methods. The afternoons are for hands-on sessions analysing networks with Python (NetworkX), and to discuss specific interests, questions and applications. Please see the pro​gram​​ here.

Winter School Programme.pdf

Tutors of Winter School 2016:

Additionally, participants are strongly encouraged to attend the annual Complexity Conference “Silent Transformations” on 7-9 March 2016 organized by Para Limes at NTU. For more information, please click here.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?​

The Winter School is open to anyone, local or overseas, from the public, private, non-for profit, commercial, industry, financial or academic sectors, with:

• A genuine interest in discovering what complexity is about. How it manifests itself in the different fields of human interest and activities. How it can be studied and can be harnessed;
• basic computer skills;
• a motivation to use this introduction to deepen their understanding and apply that understanding to their work or study; and
• an academic degree (or equivalent) in any field.

Participants do not need:

• any prior knowledge of complexity;
• more than high school level of knowledge of mathematics, physics and social sciences; nor
• strong computer programming skills.

For more information, visit the official website