University of York TRANSIT Interdisciplinary Seminar Series, funded by the EPSRC

Seminar given by Peter Lindsay (University of Queensland)

Abstract

The ARC Centre for Complex Systems (ACCS) was established in 2004 to conduct cross-disciplinary research into questions fundamental to the understanding, design and management of complex systems. Our focus is on network-based systems and how macro-level system properties and behaviours emerge from relatively simple micro-level interactions, what mechanisms enable such systems to self-organise, and how such systems can be managed and controlled.

This talk will outline two areas of application for models of non-linear systems: - Genetic regulatory networks, whereby sets of genes work together in networks to regulate cell growth in biological organisms, determining for example what kinds of cells will be produced when cells split and where the new cells will be positioned. - Patient flow through a hospital Emergency Dept, where small fluctuations in arrivals can have unexpected effects.

Biography

Professor Peter Lindsay is Boeing Chair in Systems Engineering, School of ITEE, University of Queensland and also Director of the ARC Centre for Complex Systems. He is a Fellow of the Australian Computer Society. Professor Lindsay joined the University of Queensland in 1991 after holding academic and research positions at the University of New South Wales, the University of Manchester and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has more than twenty years of experience in formal aspects of systems and software engineering. He is visiting the High Integrity Systems Engineering group at York for 2 months on sabbatical.