Stefan Thurner is full professor of Science of Complex Systems at the Medical University of Vienna and external professor at the Santa Fe Institute (New Mexico, USA). He has published more than 120 articles in fundamental physics, applied mathematics, complex systems, life sciences, econophysics, and social sciences, with a strong focus on computer simulation of complex systems. He holds two patents and is active in quantitative financial consulting for financial institutions, especially for automated trading strategies.

Biologist and physicist by training, Volker Grimm works at the Department of Ecological Modelling at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research in Leipzig and is Professor of Theoretical Ecology at the University of Potsdam. He is a world-leading expert in ecological modelling. With S. F. Railsback, he published the influential book “Individual-based modeling and ecology” (Princeton University Press, 2005), which popularized the use of computer simulation in ecology and paved the way for a new alliance between ecology, computer and social sciences. Using agent-based models, he tries to link individual behaviour to population and community dynamics.

Miguel Onorato is full-time researcher at the Physics Department of the University of Turin. He is a world-leading expert in nonlinear waves, turbulence and wave forecasting. He combines laboratory research and advanced numerical simulation models. He had an influential role at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts in developing and improving the wave forecasting system.