Complexity science doctoral training centres

Complexity science

Complexity science explores systems made up of many interdependent components which interact to produce system-level emergent behaviour, self-organisation or evolution. An interdisciplinary approach, it includes areas such as mathematics, statistics, physics, chemistry, biology and neuroscience, economics and computer science. Examples of the kinds of problems complexity science might try to solve are things like working out:

• How mobile phone networks adapt to maintain quality of service when too many people want to use them
• What causes diseases like Alzheimer’s by looking at the activity of individual brain cells
• How to make new, useful molecules without creating unpredictable side-effects.

Doctoral training centres

The centres bring together students from a variety of backgrounds, ranging from physics and chemistry to computer science, mathematics and engineering. Students carry out a four-year programme combining taught courses with a PhD project. Courses cover complexity science techniques including mathematics, statistics and computer science as well as application areas and transferable skills.

	Complexity Sciences University of Bristol The Bristol Centre for Complexity Sciences (BCCS) is a new highly interdisciplinary centre for training and research funded by the UK Engineering and Physical Science Research Council. The mission of the BCCS is that of nurturing the next generation of scientists and engineers in the most challenging areas of the emerging sciences of complexity. The BCCS is a major collaboration across 4 faculties within the University of Bristol.
	Complex Systems Simulation University of Southampton The Southampton Institute brings together world-class simulation modelling research activities from across the University of Southampton and hosts Southampton's Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Complex Systems Simulation, running a doctoral training programme that is the first of its kind in the UK. There are 10 fully funded 4-year EPSRC PhD studentships available every year. We expect to admit a cohort of at least 20 students per year. Applications for October 2010 are invited now.
	Complexity Science University of Warwick We are training a new generation of complexity scientists at PhD level, teaching knowledge and skills to understand, control and design complex systems, and to do innovative research in complexity science via critical thinking, interdisciplinary teamwork and end-user interaction.

EPSRC funding

The centres have EPSRC funding for around ten students per year. The first students started in October 2007.

Our aim for the centres is to train and develop engineers and scientists able to address emerging research problems in complexity science. We would also like to increase awareness in the wider research community of complexity issues and the tools and techniques being developed by complexity scientists.