CSRW PhD Launch Event - 27th January

The Complexity Science in the Real World (CSRW) network held its PhD Programme launch at UCL on Friday 27th January. The aim of the network is to enhance the potential of the cross disciplinary research across four projects (ENFOLDing, CLC, ERIE and SCID), generating new projects and extending impact by informing and influencing policy. CSRW is funded to bring together the knowledge and lessons learned across the four projects funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council programme. 

Sir Alan Wilson, Professor of Urban and Regional Systems at CASA, and lead investigator on the ENFOLDing project (Explaining, modelliNg, and FOrecasting gLobal Dynamics), gave two talks during the event. The first, based on his book 'Knowledge Power', gave guidance on how to generate good ideas as a researcher by setting research in a broader context and tackling the challenge of interdisciplinarity.

During the afternoon Sir Alan Wilson ran a workshop based on his latest book 'The Science of Cities and Regions: Lectures on Mathematical Model Design'. He covered topics including what constitutes a model, common features of systems and the Lowry model of a city as an example.

The CSRW network co-ordinator is Alison Cooper.  With over ten years’ experience managing research, she was an invited founding member of an award winning Postdoctoral Researcher Society.  She is qualified and active in science communication with organisations such as the British Science Association, the World Conference of Science Journalists, the Association of British Science Writers, Oxfordshire Museums, Science Oxford, the Royal Society and the BBC, as well as various arts and community groups.