Complexity Systems Simulation Seminar Series (CS^4) - The Hitchhikers Guide to Complexity Event

This talk offers a multi-disciplinary perspective on complexity from the perspective of an informed amateur - an ideas hitchhiker - curating concepts relevant to its philosophical, technological and cultural importance. These ideas are co-ordinates for a hitchhiker's map to provoke discussion about the theory, method and application of complex systems in addressing cultural agendas and how they may work as a counter point to prevalent practices. Of particular interest is how complexity may offer alternative technological systems to machines, which shape our Modern era. Although complexity is still an emerging practice and not a ‘cure-all' to the significant challenges that we face this century, it may offer a point of reflection on the processes that underpin human development - to identify opportunities where the interests of humanity and the environment may be one and the same say for example, by considering the Earth to be a giant  ‘natural' supercomputer.

The CS4 seminar series 2012/13 will take place fortnightly on Wednesday afternoons at 3pm-6pm, building 53 room 4025 and will be pitched for a general academic audience from a wide variety of backgrounds.

In this seminar series, leading researchers will explore the challenges related to a particular area of complex science (e.g., climate science, market behaviour, molecular dynamics, neuroscience, networks science etc.) and/or a piece of work addressing these challenges through modelling, empirical work, philosophy or analysis.

Each seminar comprises of a 45 minute talk and will be followed by a discussion. There will be additional time to network pre and post each seminar.

Seminars are free and open to everyone, with no registration required. However to help us manage numbers, if you would like to attend one of our seminar series please can you inform Alison Simmance at: a.simmance@southampton.ac.uk .