Complexity, Criticality and Computation (C3-2019)

What makes a system ‘complex’? A system can be thought of as complex if its dynamics cannot be easily predicted, or explained, as a linear superposition of the individual dynamics of its components. In other words, the many constituent microscopic parts bring about macroscopic phenomena that cannot be understood by considering a single part alone (‘the whole is greater than the sum of the parts’). There is a growing awareness that complexity is strongly related to criticality: the behaviour of dynamical spatiotemporal systems at an order/disorder phase transition where scale invariance prevails.

Complex systems can also be viewed as distributed information-processing systems. Consciousness emerging from neuronal activity and interactions, cell behaviour resultant from gene regulatory networks and swarming behaviour are all examples of global system behaviour emerging as a result of the local interactions of the individuals (neurons, genes, animals). Can these interactions be seen as a generic computational process? This question shapes the third component of our symposium, linking computation to complexity and criticality.

We will consider a diverse range of theoretical and practical approaches, including information theory, agent-based simulation, statistical physics, network theory, nonlinear dynamics, swarm intelligence, evolutionary methods, computational neuroscience, artificial life, computational epidemiology, and econophysics, among others.

Keynote Speakers:

Prof. Dr. Stefan Bornholdt, Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Bremen

Prof Roland Fletcher, The University of Sydney

Prof Sheri Markose, University of Essex

A/Prof Tiago de Paula Peixoto, Central European University

C3 - SYMPOSIUM (2-3 Dec)

Mon, 2 Dec: Sociophysics

09:45 - 10:00 Introduction Mikhail Prokopenko, The University of Sydney

10:00 - 11:00 Keynote: Prof Roland Fletcher, The University of Sydney, "Complexity, Fragility, Urban Risk and Survival: a conundrum”

11:00 - 11:30 Morning Break

11:30 - 12:00 Arunima Malik, The University of Sydney, "Modelling complex supply chains using input-output analysis"

12:00 - 12:30 Eduardo Altmann, The University of Sydney, "A complex systems approach to text analysis"

12:30 - 13:00 Debora Correa, The University of Western Australia, "Markov chain surrogates and its application in the analysis of Bach’s compositions."

13:00 – 14:00 Lunch Break

14:00 - 15:00 Keynote: Prof. Dr. Stefan Bornholdt, University of Bremen, "Elections, Fashions, Herd Instinct: On a Physics of Collective Behavior“

15:00 - 15:30 Markus Brede, University of Southampton, "Influence maximization in the voting dynamics"

15:30 - 16:00 Afternoon Break

16:00 - 16:30 Mikhail Prokopenko, The University of Sydney, "Edge of chaos and undecidable dynamics"

16:30 - 17:00 Michael Harre, The University of Sydney, "Econo-computation: From game theory and decisions to the circuitry of economies"

Tue, 3 Dec: Biocomplexity

10:00 - 11:00 Keynote: Prof Sheri Markose, University of Essex, “The Digital Foundations of Intelligence: How We Became Smart and Protean”

11:00 - 11:30 Morning Break

Emerging Aspirations session:

11:30 - 12:00 Svetlana Postnova, The University of Sydney (CCS award talk), "Predicting individual circadian rhythms with biophysical modelling: a pilot study"

12:00 - 12:30 Mac Shine, The University of Sydney (CCS award talk), “Complex systems perspectives on dementia: population modelling, networks and information processing”

12:30 - 13:00 Richard Spinney, The University of Sydney (CCS award talk), "Information as a resource – from Demons to Emergent Structure"

13:00 – 14:00 Lunch Break

14:00 - 15:00 Keynote: A/Prof Tiago de Paula Peixoto, Central European University, "Network reconstruction and community detection from dynamics"

15:00 - 15:30 Richard Morris, UNSW, "Fishy business: noise-induced schooling"

15:30 - 16:00 Afternoon Break

16:00 - 16:30 Emanuele Crosato, UNSW, "Irreversibility and emergent structure in active matter"

16:30 - 17:00 Maia Angelova Turkedjieva, Deakin University, "Data Driven and Phenomenological Models of Sleep Disorders: Acute and Chronic Insomnia"

17:00 - 17:15 Closing remarks and Best Presentation Award

Camp: "Complexity across multiple scales: from the game of Go to galaxy morphology"

C3- CAMP (4-5 Dec)

Wed, 4 Dec (tutorials / case studies)

09:00 - 11:00 Michael Harre, The University of Sydney, "Fractal structure in the game of Go"

11:00 - 13:00 Tiago de Paula Peixoto, Central European University, "Network inference"

13:00 – 14:30 Lunch Break

14:30 - 16:30 Somwrita Sarkar, The University of Sydney, "Cities as complex systems: an urban science and data"

Thu, 5 Dec (tutorials / case studies)

09:00 - 11:00 Ben Fulcher, The University of Sydney,"Feature-based time-series analysis"

11:00 - 13:00 Joseph Lizier, The University of Sydney, "Using information theory for empirical analysis of complex systems using JIDT"

13:00 – 14:30 Lunch Break

14:30 - 16:30 X. Rosalind Wang, Western Sydney University/CSIRO, “Complexity measures for radio galaxy morphology analysis"

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Entropy is a media partner of the symposium, sponsoring the best presentation award at the event, which will be determined by the C3-2019 Program Committee. Read the special issue of Entropy which follows the symposium.