What is Complexity?
Making sense of the whole as more than the sum of its parts.
Complex systems are made up of components, which interact with each other and their environment. Through layers and networks of interaction, novel information is created which makes it hard to predict the future behavior of the system. Studying components of these systems in isolation, without interaction, simply isn't enough! Join us on our quest as we attempt to understand the relationship between these networks of interaction and the "emergent" properties they produce within important, real-world complex systems.
Explore Complexity from Different Perspectives
Discover diverse and inclusive approaches to tackle global issues.
Complexity is an interdisciplinary and inclusive framework for studying, designing, and controlling complex system behavior, such as global pandemics, extreme weather events, electoral politics, economic recovery, and poverty. Since 2019, many of the teams formed during our events continue working together to this day.
What Can You Expect During a Summit?
There are many ways to participate in a Summit cohort, and all of them are equally valid. Choose your own adventure! All modes of participation are welcome as we navigate our personal and team Complexity journeys together.
April 2023 Summit Guides
At Complexity Adventure events, Guides lead interactive sessions, mentor teams, share Complexity knowledge and experience, host impactful connections, introduce problem-solving frameworks and tooling, and ultimately help individuals and teams accomplish their goals.
Probal Banerjee
Probal is the co-founder and CEO of the design-led collective, Depicentre Consulting. He works on the interfaces of business, learning, design, analytics, innovation, and storytelling. With leadership experience across seven countries strengthening his ability to manage cross-cultural and cross-functional virtual teams in complex matrix organisations, he has a passion for driving content- and culture- driven organisations making economic, social, ecological, and educational impact. He has been able to design effective products, services, and solutions, serving customers and building successful coalitions.
Probal Banerjee
Co-Founder and CEO at Depicentre Consulting
Shaun Applegate-Swanson
Shaun co-founded Complexity Weekend to empower teams to "Learn Complexity by Doing" while working to solve the world's toughest problems together. At Microsoft, Shaun leads a team of full-stack (Python/Scala) data scientists and engineers, which has developed access management scoring and anomaly detection systems to enforce the Principle of Least Privilege throughout data centers worldwide. His personal research interests involve combining Complexity Science with Thermodynamics/Statistical Mechanics axioms to peek at fundamental properties of emergent phenomena.
Shaun Applegate-Swanson
Principal Data Scientist at Microsoft; Co-Founder at Gem Finders; Co-Founder at Complexity Adventures
Farhat Taj
Originally from Pakistan, Farhat is interested in application of complexity theory to Pakistan-Afghanistan-based terror groups and the related state policies. Farhat has a Ph.D in Sociology of Law from the University of Oslo and now works as an Associate Professor at the University of Tromsø in Norway.
Farhat Taj
Associate Professor at University of Tromsø, Norway
Yolanda Methvin
As a Social Entrepreneur, Yolanda specializes in creating boutique brands & businesses which use indigenous African wisdom: ingredients, products, and educational experiences to enhance health and wellness; for the one and the many. She is based in Cape Town, South Africa.
Yolanda Methvin
Founder and CEO at LithaFlora African Botanicals
Ashwin Ramaswamy
Ashwin is an educator and pre-doctoral researcher with 5 years of research experience in cognitive science and CSS. I participated in Complexity weekend November 2021 and stumbled into an incredible CSS research collaboration that continues still!
Ashwin Ramaswamy
Researcher and Developer at Educational Initiatives, Bangalore
What people are saying about Complexity Adventures
Since 2019, over 100 Guides have mentored over 750 Adventurers, with more than 50 teams emerging to work on complex issues together. Join this robust global community of Applied Complexity practitioners!
April 2023 Summit Organizers
Organizers are often in the background as Guides and Adventurers interact. Their mission is to create accessible environments and structures to encourage prosocial and productive interactions among community members, and to support Guides as much as possible.