March 8, 2007

Experts use plain talk to break down complex systems

International experts in the emerging science of complexity will discuss important issues facing researchers in the interdisciplinary field March 28 and 29 at North-western’s annual Complexity Conference.

The free conference, held by the Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems (NICO), will be from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. March 28, and from 9 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. March 29, in the James L. Allen Center.

Designed to stimulate discussion and collaboration across traditional boundaries, the event is open to the Northwestern and Chicago-area research communities.

The brain, the transportation network that carries goods and services and the collective behavior of markets are all examples of complex systems, in which outcomes cannot be predicted because each system’s performance is more than the sum of its parts.

Speakers from a variety of disciplines — sociology, neuroscience, engineering, computer science and physics — will use plain English to deliver an overview of a complexity problem. A panel discussion will conclude each session.

> For details on general topics and speakers, or to register, go to www.northwestern.edu/nico/complexity-conference/