Exploring collective phenomena at the BIRS-CMO workshop

This week, I had the privilege of participating in a workshop at the Casa Matemática Oaxaca (CMO), sponsored by the Banff International Research Station (BIRS). The workshop, which just concluded today, brought together researchers from diverse disciplines to explore how mathematical tools—from nonlinear dynamics and complex systems to decision theory and data science—can help us understand collective phenomena.

I presented my ongoing work on the urban scaling of firearm violence, which examines how patterns of gun violence change with city size. The workshop covered a wide and fascinating range of timely topics, including the opioid epidemic, animal swarms, female representation in academia, racial segregation, media coverage of protests, bots on social media, and more. In addition to learning how these complex systems could be modeled, we discussed the ethical and societal implications of this work. We considered how data is collected and interpreted, and how mathematical models shape public understanding and inform policy.

I enjoyed the opportunity to learn from such a wide range of perspectives and exchange of ideas. I am very grateful to the organizers—Nancy Rodriguez (University of Colorado, Boulder), Maria D'Orsogna (California State University, Northridge), Krešimir Josić (University of Houston), Heather Zinn Brooks (Harvey Mudd), and Chad Topaz (Williams College) for creating an engaging and welcoming environment, and for inviting me to be a part of it.