Complexity

The Complexity programme encourages research into complex systems and complex processes, for example infrastructure networks, the spread of disease, fluctuations in stock prices and climate changes.

  • Aim

    The financial sector that plunged into a worldwide crisis in 2008; the savannah that dries up suddenly into a desert; a brain that becomes schizophrenic all of a sudden - these are three serious problems that can arise in complex systems. The Complexity programme encourages Dutch research toward a better understanding of these types of problems.

    Research into complex systems started from within the physical sciences but has expanded in the meantime to include the behavioural and economic sciences. It is one of the fastest-growing areas of science. The research is focused on disparate complex systems and complex processes such as infrastructure networks, the spread of disease and climate change. Despite the great variety of complex systems, they may behave similarly.

    New insights may benefit the production sector through improved process control. The bio-sector may benefit from a better understanding of complex organisms and the energy sector from the improved management of processes.
    The programme's goal is to bring about structural multidisciplinary collaboration and to bring together a community of researchers and users in the area of complex systems. One way to achieve this is by setting up a joint education programme for PhD students.

    The programme focuses is on the potential usability of the research results. Potential users of the research results are involved in the research. NWO has encouraged a wide variety of companies to submit project proposals together with university researchers.

  • Duration and budget

    Complexity I has run until 2014 with a budget of 7 million euros.

    So far Complexity II consisted of 4 calls:

    • Complexity in Transport & Logistics
    • Complexity in Health & Nutrition
    • Complexity – Programmable Self-organisation
    • Complexity and Creative Industry
  • Committees

    For the Complexity and Creative Industry programme, the NWO domains Science and Social Sciences and Humanities worked with a broad-based committee of scientists who advised on the quality and priority of applications.

    Complexity and Creative Industry committee

    • Prof. K.L. (Karen) Cham, University of Brighton, UK (Chair)
    • Prof. J.H. (Jeffrey) Johnson, The Open University, UK
    • Dr P.H. (Peter) Jones, OCAD University, Canada
    • Dr R. (Rika) Preiser, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
    • Prof. J. (Jurgen) Pfeffer, Technical University of Munich, Germany
    • Prof. M. (Maxi) San Miguel, University of the Balearic Islands, Spain

Contact

Marieke van Duin
Programme officer
NWO Domain
Science
Lisa de Kok
Programme officer
NWO Domain
NWO domain Social Sciences and Humanties