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. Complexity Science focusses on systems of many interdependent components, showing Emergent behaviour at the system level, Self-organisation and/or Evolution. Our Centre draws on aspects of these in existing fields, including mathematics from dynamical systems and chaos, physics of phase transitions, self-assembly in chemistry, network modelling in biology and neuroscience, interacting agent modelling in economics and computer science, statistical inference. We also look to apply scientific methods in new fields of opportunity, such as transport, health and social science applications where mass quantitative data is newly available in this information age.
We start by teaching our first year students a coherent core of complexity science concepts. You then explore application in more depth through two successive 12 week miniprojects, chosen by you from carefully selected proposals ranging across the full range of applications at Warwick and our external collaborators. Satisfactory performance qualifies you for an MSc degree in Complexity Science.
PhD topics are chosen towards the end of the first year, again from vetted proposals which should reflect the cross-disciplinary spirit of Complexity Science and will each have two supervisors from different departments. Throughout your three years of PhD research you will be expected to maintain strong contact with the Complexity centre, attending seminars, reporting your own research progress, and joining in our programme of transferable skills.
The Transferable Skills Programme is built on that of our sister MOAC Doctoral Training Centre, the latter considered to be a landmark success in this regard.
We aim to look after our students and to treat them well. We have several EPSRC funded studentships for UK students (premium stipend ~£14,000 in 2007/08), and EU students can apply for a limited number of grants covering tuition fees only. Travel funds are available, and there is additional financial support for some mini-projects hosted away from Warwick.
The Centre is led by a team of experienced Warwick professors, plus EPSRC and RCUK funding have enabled us to appoint six new academic staff directly associated with it. The University is housing the DTC in a new dedicated Centre along with our wider Complexity [research] Complex.
Applicants should hope to obtain a first class degree in a scientific, mathematical or analytical subject, and you need some natural orientation towards modelling problems in quantitative mathematical terms.
www.warwick.ac.uk/go/complexity
Email: complexity@warwick.ac.uk
Tel: 024 765 74803
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