Hi. I’m Wolf. I’m the Argelander (Tenure-Track Assistant) Professor for Integrated System Modeling for Sustainability Transitions at the University of Bonn, Germany.

I am a computational social scientist, engineer, and systems researcher. I work in several aspects of modelling the dynamics of organisational, economic and social systems. I am interested in the link between micro-level rules, structural interdependence and macro-level outcomes in a variety of settings (e.g., organisational dynamics, industry evolution, competitive spatial location, agricultural markets). I am also interested in the use of computational models for better policy design (policy modelling).

I am a Senior Economist in the Capital Markets Division of the Bank of England. I have a PhD in Economics from the joint program at Vilfredo Pareto Doctorate in Economics (University of Turin) and Collegio Carlo Alberto, where I’ve taught graduate level economic courses. Prior to joining the Bank of England, I also worked in the private sector as a quantitative analyst on issues related to different areas including asset management, risk management, and policy implementation.

I am currently enrolled as a graduate student at UC3M, working towards a MS degree in Computational and Applied Mathematics. Upon completing my current program, my intention is to further my education in Applied Economics, with a specific focus on the intersection of Climate and Development Economics.

My research pursuits center around investigating the impacts of climate change on developing nations. Additionally, I am interested in studying the repercussions of fast fashion consumption, examining its effects on working conditions, the environment, and the overall well-being of individuals in the countries where these garments are manufactured. In my ongoing master’s thesis, I employ Agent-Based Modeling to simulate the attitudes of individual consumers towards fast fashion. The model captures behavioral shifts influenced by peers, social media, and governmental factors. This research aligns with my broader interests in comprehending public perspectives on global matters, underscoring the crucial influence of individual attitudes in confronting and finding solutions to these challenges.

In my research I focus on understanding human behaviour in group(s) as a part of a complex (social) system. My research can be characterised by the overall question: ‘How does group or collective behaviour arise or change given its social and physical context?‘ More specifically, I have engaged with: ‘How is (individual) human behaviour affected by being in a crowd?’, ‘Why do some groups (cooperatively) use their resources sustainably, whereas others do not?‘, ‘What is the role of (often implicit simplistic) assumptions regarding human behaviour for science and/or management?’

To address these questions, I use computational simulations to integrate and reflect synthesised knowledge from literature, empirics and experts. Models, simulation and data analysis are my tools for gaining a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying such systems. More specifically, I work with agent-based modelling (ABM), simulation experiments and data analysis of large datasets. Apart from crowd modelling and social-ecological modelling, I also develop methodological tools to analyse social simulation data and combining ABM with other methods, such as behavioural experiments.

I am an agent-based simulation modeler and social scientist living near Cambridge, UK.

In recent years, I have developed supply chain models for Durham University (Department of Anthropology), epidemiological models for the Covid-19 pandemic, and agent-based land-use models with Geography PhD students at Cambridge University.

Previously, I spent three years at Ludwig-Maximillians University, Munich, working on Human-Environment Relations and Sustainability, and over two and a half years at Surrey University, working on Innovation with Nigel Gilbert in the Centre for Research in Social Simulation (CRESS). The project at Surrey resulted in a book in 2014, “Simulating Innovation: Computer-based Tools for Rethinking Innovation”. My PhD topic, modeling human agents who energise or de-energise each other in social interactions, drew upon the work of sociologist Randall Collins. My multi-disciplinary background includes degrees in Operational Research (MSc) and Philosophy (BA/MA).

I got hooked on agent-based modeling and complexity science some time around 2000, via the work of Brian Arthur, Stuart Kauffman, Robert Axelrod and Duncan Watts (no relation!).

Dr. Lilian Alessa, University of Idaho President’s Professor of Resilient Landscapes in the Landscape Architecture program, is also Co-Director of the University of Idaho Center for Resilient Communities. She conducts extensive research on human adaptation to environmental change through resilient design at landscape scales. Much of her work is funded by the National Science Foundation, including projects awarded the Arctic Observing Network, Intersections of Food, Energy and Water Systems (INFEWS) and the Dynamics of Coupled Natural Human Systems programs. Canadian-born and raised, Alessa received her degrees from the University of British Columbia. She also uses her expertise in social-ecological and technological systems science to develop ways to improve domestic resource security for community well-being, particularly through the incorporation of place-based knowledge. Her work through the Department of Homeland Security’s Center of Excellence, the Arctic Domain Awareness Center, involves developing social-technological methods to monitor and respond to critical environmental changes. Lil is a member of the National Science Foundation’s Advisory Committee for Environmental Research and Education and is on the Science, Technology and Education Advisory Committee for the National Ecological Observing Network (NEON). Professor Alessa also teaches a university landscape architecture capstone course: Resilient Landscapes with Professor Andrew Kliskey. Professor Alessa’s collaborative grant activity with Professor Andrew Kliskey, since coming to the university in 2013, exceeds 7 million USD to date. She has authored over a 100 publications and reports and has led the development of 2 federal climate resilience toolbox assessments, the Arctic Water Resources Vulnerability Index (AWRVI) and the Arctic Adaptation Exchange Portal (AAEP).