From segregation to sand dunes: complex systems in the world around us

Dr Robin Wilson


Region:
South East
Notice Period:
Emergency (maybe less than one week's notice)
Type:
Any
Fee:
Paid: £100
Category:
Science
Updated:
2nd July 2023

'Complex' systems are all around us, and are often difficult to understand and control. In this talk you will be introduced to a range of complex systems including segregation in cities, sand dune development, traffic jams, weather forecasting, the cold war and more – and will show how looking at these systems in a decentralised way can be useful in understanding and controlling them.

A novel feature of this talk is the use of interactive simulations of various systems, run live on my laptop during the talk. This enables me to really show how these systems work, and "play with the knobs and dials" in real-time to show the effects of changes to the models.

This talk was developed from some teaching work I did with A-Level students, but I felt like the topics deserved a greater exposure. My PhD was done through the Institute for Complex Systems Simulation at the University of Southampton, and I had a year of intensive training in complex systems and simulation.

Views: 421 | Enquiries: 1

About Dr Robin Wilson

I have a First Class degree in Geography, and PhD in satellite imaging & computer science from the University of Southampton. I am a professional speaker on a number of topics including satellite imaging, geography and computing.

As well as giving talks, I currently work as a freelance geospatial software engineer, working with clients ranging from small community groups to multi-national corporations to store, process and visualise geographic data such as satellite images and maps.

I am happy to give talks online or in person, although for in-person talks you should be aware that I use a wheelchair.

I am based in Southampton, but willing to travel reasonable distances to give talks - always feel free to ask even if you're a bit further away, the worst I can say is no!

Feedback from previous talks has included:

  • "The talk that Robin gave to our group was excellent. The clever animated video clips, accompanied by a clear vocal description gave an easily-understood picture of the underlying principles involved. The wide range of topics taken from situations familiar to everyone made the examples pertinent to all present and maintained their interest throughout. A thoroughly enjoyable and thought provoking talk."
  • "I guessed your talk would be fascinating and informative - and it was!"

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