Human Current

In this episode preview, we share a clip from our interview with Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Complexity Space Consulting, Denise Easton. Easton shares how she defines and relates to complexity.

In this episode, Angie talks with systems educator and award-winning author, Linda Booth Sweeney. Booth Sweeney describes her work as a systems educator and explains why understanding systems is so important. She shares many wonderful examples and stories of patterns (and feedback loops) that show up in everyday life and explains how seeing a pattern is the very first step toward influencing change. Booth Sweeney also talks about her books and why storytelling is such an instrumental tool in her work.

In this episode preview, we share a clip from our interview with systems educator and author, Linda Booth Sweeney. Booth Sweeney shares the importance of learning about the nature of systems and working with them, not against them. "People who have a concept of the whole can do very fortunate things." — Linda Booth Sweeney

In this episode, Haley talks with Albert-László Barabási. Barabasi is the Robert Gray Dodge Professor of Network Science and a Distinguished Professor at Northeastern University. He is also a renowned author of several books including his new book, The Formula: The Universal Laws of Success, which he discusses in-depth during his interview. Barabási shares important lessons from his new book and research on the science of success. He also gives us insights from his journey in the field of network scienc

In this episode preview, we share a clip from our interview with Albert-László Barabási. Barabási is the Robert Gray Dodge Professor of Network Science and a Distinguished University Professor at Northeastern University, where he directs the Center for Complex Network Research. He is also a renowned author of several books including, The Formula: The Universal Laws of Success. In this brief clip, Barabási describes the fruitful relationship between complexity science and network science.

In this episode, Haley talks with Yaneer Bar-Yam and Alexander Siegenfeld about their collaborative research paper entitled: Negative Representation and Instability in Democratic Elections. They each discuss why the current political climate in the U.S. is so polarized and unstable and explore how low voter turnout leads to negative representation and further instability. They share the importance of increasing voter turnout and weakening the two party system in order to achieve a more stable democracy.

In this episode, Angie and Haley share their final four interviews recorded at the Ninth International Conference on Complex Systems. These interviews include: Brad Glisson, Liz Johnson, Vinesh Raja, and Rhys Lindmark. Each of their stories weave together some of the shared values and ideas for the growing field of complex system science. To wrap up this series on the conference, Haley and Rhys talk about some their favorite highlights and share some key takeaways. (Episode cover image by JK Rofling.)

In this episode, Angie talks with Dr. Stephan Harding who is an ecologist, author and senior lecturer and founding member of Schumacher College. Dr. Harding describes his role with Schumacher College and how the school helps students connect with and learn from nature. He shares details about his Holistic Science course and explores how more expansive approaches to science help us understand the implications of complex problems like climate change.

Angie and Haley share four interviews recorded at the International Conference on Complex Systems, including: Javier Borondo, Research Scientist and CTO of AGrowingData; Rosa Benito, Physics Professor at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid; Victor Dossetti, Research Scientist and Professor at Benemerita Universidad Autonoma de Puebla; Roozbeh Daneshvar, Blockchain Software Engineer at IBM. Each of their experiences highlight opportunities in the field of complex system science. (cover image by JK Rofling

In this episode, Haley interviews theoretical biologist and author, Josh Mitteldorf, at the Ninth International Conference on Complex Systems. Mitteldorf talks about the evolutionary process, including gene sharing, cooperation, and natural selection. He also shares what inspired his book, Cracking the Aging Code, and why biology needs holism.

In this episode, Angie talks with Dr. Loren Demerath at the Ninth International Conference on Complex Systems. Dr. Demerath is an author, researcher, theorist of social complexity, and Professor of Sociology at the Centenary College of Louisiana. He discusses the fundamental nature of complex systems and how he applies concepts of complexity science to his research on culture, social interaction, and the emergence of order.

In this episode Haley talks with Simon DeDeo, a Professor in Social and Decision Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University and External Professor at the Santa Fe Institute. He talks about his current research, which explores extreme creative people and events throughout history to learn where new ideas come from and what people do when they get them. DeDeo explains we are not predictable creatures, rather we harness the capacity to evolve and create. He also talks about his involvement with Santa Fe Institute.

In this episode, Angie talks with network science researchers, Brennan Klein and Sarah Shugars, at the Ninth International Conference on Complex Systems. Both Klein and Shugars are network science PhD students at Northeastern University, but they share very different stories for why they decided to study network science and how they plan to approach and apply their research. (The image used in this episode cover is ©JK Rofling)

In this episode, Haley interviews Jose Mateos at the Ninth International Conference on Complex Systems. Mateos is a physicist and network researcher at UNAM. He is also on the Steering Committee for the Complex Systems Society. Mateos talks with Haley about what makes conferences on complex systems so unique and important for solving real-world problems. He also describes his research on mobility within networks where he explores how things, like viruses and rumors, propagate within social networks.

In this episode, Angie talks with Irene Bosch and Elena Naumova at the Ninth International Conference on Complex Systems. Irene Bosch is a research scientist at MIT who works with Tropical diseases and viruses like Zika, Dengue, and Chikungunya. Bosch discusses the lack of research and understanding around how diseases are diagnosed and spread. Bosch’s work colleague, Elena Naumova, a Mathematician, also talks with Angie about applying mathematical models to better understand biological phenomenon.