Events
Past Event
WED@NICO WEBINAR: Lightning Talks with Northwestern Fellows and Scholars!
Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems (NICO)
12:00 PM
Details
NICO is hosting a lightning talk seminar each term as a part of our Wednesdays@NICO seminar series. Northwestern graduate students and postdoctoral fellows are invited to participate. To sign up for future lightning talks, please visit: https://bit.ly/2lRqSXK
Webinar:
Zoom link: https://northwestern.zoom.us/j/98719696231
Passcode: nico
Speakers:
Ifeoma Ozodiegwu - Postdoctoral Fellow, Feinberg School of Medicine
Chilochibi Chiziba - Research Assistant, Feinberg School of Medicine
Manuela Runge - Postdoctoral Fellow, Feinberg School of Medicine
David Sabin-Miller - Ph.D. candidate, McCormick School of Engineering
Yanxuan Shao - Ph.D. student, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences
○ Ifeoma Ozodiegwu - Postdoctoral Fellow, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University
○ Chilochibi Chiziba - Research Assistant, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University
Title: Urban-rural differentials in the determinants of malaria transmission in Nigeria
Abstract: Nigeria accounted for roughly a quarter of global malaria cases and deaths in 2018. However, malaria transmission is heterogeneous at lower spatial scales, and understanding the drivers of transmission can inform decisions on where interventions should be prioritized. We aimed to identify factors associated with high levels of malaria transmission within urban and rural areas. We merged and analyzed cluster-level data collected in Nigeria in 2010, 2015, and 2018 by the Demographic Health Survey (DHS) program. Our analysis highlight similarities and differences in the determinants of transmission in urban and rural areas. Our findings provides supporting evidence for the positive impact of increased access to ACTs and suggest the need for greater intervention distribution in highly populated rural areas.
Bios: Ifeoma Ozodiegwu is a Postdoctoral Fellow with Dr. Jaline Gerardin Lab’s in the Department of Preventive Medicine. She received her Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) in Epidemiology from East Tennessee University (ETSU) in May 2019, where she was a Rotary International Global Grant recipient. At the Dr. Gerardin Lab, she leads dynamical modeling for understanding the impact of malaria intervention mixes in Nigeria, and supports analytical projects that evaluate spatial variation in malaria transmission within endemic countries.
Chilochibi Chiziba is a Research Assistant with Dr. Jaline Gerardin Lab in the Department of Preventive Medicine. He is currently in his final year pursuing a Master of Public Health at the University of Zambia and holds a Bachelor of Arts Economics with Demography from the same institution. His experience includes Data Analytics, Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation while working for Atlas Corps, Jhpiego, and Akros Research on studies and projects focused on Renewable Energy, HIV/AIDS, and Health Systems. He is currently working with Dr. Ozodiegwu to explore variations in malaria transmission intensity, and interventions between urban and rural areas in Nigeria.
○ Manuela Runge - Postdoctoral Fellow, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University
Title: Modelling COVID-19 transmission and health burden in Illinois
Abstract: COVID-19 continues to spread across many states in the US and reached 664,620 cases and 11,552 deaths in Illinois. Until a vaccine is available, social distancing, lockdowns, contact tracing, and mask wearing and testing are the only measures to contain the epidemic and to prevent exceeding hospital capacities and limit the public health burden. Epidemiological models are widely used for simulating the likely effect of available measures and forecasts to inform decision-makers and hospital capacity planning.
A stochastic compartmental transmission model was calibrated for the eleven COVID-19 regions in Illinois, to simulate number of cases and hospital bed demand. The model was calibrated using hospital census and deaths report data between March and November 2020. The model was used to simulate the effects of reducing delay in testing, increased testing, contact tracing, lockdown, and social distancing alone or in combination. Outcome measures included the number of cases, deaths, or probability of exceeding hospital bed capacities. During course of the epidemic, the modelling outputs provided valuable predictions to support the local health department and provided insights into local transmission and disease dynamics.
Bio: Manuela Runge is a postdoctoral researcher at Northwestern University. Her research focuses on simulating malaria interventions to inform malaria control strategies at the country level and the development and application of a COVID-19 transmission model to support the local health department.
○ David Sabin-Miller - Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Engineering Sciences & Applied Mathematics, McCormick School of Engineering, Northwestern University
Title: When pull turns to shove: modeling how tribalism and environmental bias form ideological distributions in large populations
Abstract: Accurate modeling of political opinion dynamics can help us understand polarization, and the conditions which cause it. We put forward a framework for modeling the ideological drift of individuals influenced by a heterogeneous but systematically biased environment. We show that a local-attraction/distal-repulsion dynamic, distorted by tribalist "in-group-out-group" bias, can explain both the current US ideological distribution and behavior under perturbation as seen in a recent experiment. This talk will be a short summary of work published this October in Physical Review Research.
Bio: David is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate working with Prof. Daniel Abrams in ESAM. His current research interests are in modeling and stochastic numerical methods.
○ Yanxuan Shao - Ph.D. student in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Northwestern University
Title: Spontaneous oscillations in microfluidic networks
Abstract: Microfluidic systems are broadly applicable to chemical analysis, flow cytometry, point-of-care diagnosis, chemical synthesis, etc. However, the precise manipulation of fluid motion usually requires external hardware, such as micropumps and microvalves. In our research, we have examined a simple microfluid network design that exhibits nonlinear flow dynamics without the need of external control components. In particular, the system exhibits the spontaneous emergence of flow-rate oscillations for fixed inlet and outlet pressures, which we demonstrate using both simulations of the Navier-Stokes equations and an analytical model that captures essential aspects of the dynamics. Our results may help improve the portability and performance of microfluidic chips.
Bio: Yanxuan is a PhD student in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Northwestern University. She works in Prof. Adilson Motter's group.
About the Speaker Series:
Wednesdays@NICO is a vibrant weekly seminar series focusing broadly on the topics of complex systems and data science. It brings together attendees ranging from graduate students to senior faculty who span all of the schools across Northwestern, from applied math to sociology to biology and every discipline in-between.
Time
Wednesday, December 2, 2020 at 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Contact
Calendar
Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems (NICO)
WED@NICO SEMINAR: Max Kreminski, Midjourney "Tracing and Shaping Paths in Design Space"
Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems (NICO)
12:00 PM
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Lower Level, Chambers Hall
Details
Speaker:
Max Kreminski, Research Scientist, Midjourney
Title:
Tracing and Shaping Paths in Design Space
Abstract:
It’s notoriously difficulty to evaluate interfaces intended to support creative work – but as software creative tools proliferate, the importance of understanding whether and how these tools support user creativity continues to grow. In this talk, I discuss several related approaches to making sense of user interactions with creativity support tools. I focus in particular on how AI-supported evaluation methods can help us illuminate a design tool’s expressive range; trace user trajectories through design space; and potentially even intervene to shape these trajectories while the interaction is still unfolding.
Speaker Bio:
Max Kreminski is a human-computer interaction researcher focused on designing expressive and approachable computational systems to support creative work and play. Their research has been featured in outlets such as The New Yorker, New Scientist, and The Verge; published and exhibited at top HCI and AI conferences, including CHI, UIST, and NeurIPS; and honored with a variety of awards, including the Best Paper award at the ACM Conference on Creativity & Cognition. Max currently directs the Storytelling Lab at Midjourney and previously served as an assistant professor at Santa Clara University.
Location:
In person: Chambers Hall, 600 Foster Street, Lower Level
Remote option: https://northwestern.zoom.us/j/99929737866
Passcode: NICO25
About the Speaker Series:
Wednesdays@NICO is a vibrant weekly seminar series focusing broadly on the topics of complex systems, data science and network science. It brings together attendees ranging from graduate students to senior faculty who span all of the schools across Northwestern, from applied math to sociology to biology and every discipline in-between. Please visit: https://bit.ly/WedatNICO for information on future speakers.
Time
Wednesday, October 22, 2025 at 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Location
Lower Level, Chambers Hall Map
Contact
Calendar
Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems (NICO)
WED@NICO SEMINAR: Elizabeth Gerber, Northwestern University "Human–AI Systems That Amplify Human Connection at Work"
Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems (NICO)
12:00 PM
//
Lower Level, Chambers Hall
Details
Speaker:
Elizabeth Gerber, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Communication Studies, Northwestern University
Title:
Richer Together: Human–AI Systems That Amplify Human Connection at Work
Abstract:
AI in the workplace is often framed as a story of replacement. This talk flips that narrative. Drawing on research-informed, human-centered design, I present hybrid human–AI systems that scaffold—not supplant—our most distinctively human capacities: connection, reflection, and meaning-making. These systems are built on empirical insights into how people collaborate and learn, and it demonstrate how AI can be designed to increase metacognition and better prepare for more intentional, higher-quality human interactions. Rather than stripping work of its human core, AI—when designed in context and with care —can help make our work more relational, more effective, and more deeply human.
Speaker Bio:
Liz Gerber is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Communication at Northwestern University and creates sociotechnical platforms that make innovation accessible to everyone. Her research explores how new technologies can support the innovation process, particularly “collective innovation,” which taps into often unused human, social, and economic resources to discover, assess, and implement ideas. Through the Center for Human-Computer Interaction + Design, Delta Lab, and Design for America, her team develops collaborative networks that address complex issues—from healthcare access to climate resilience—promoting entrepreneurship and strengthening the link between engineering and society. She earned her PhD in Management Science & Engineering at Stanford.
Location:
In person: Chambers Hall, 600 Foster Street, Lower Level
Remote option: https://northwestern.zoom.us/j/94056849008
Passcode: NICO25
About the Speaker Series:
Wednesdays@NICO is a vibrant weekly seminar series focusing broadly on the topics of complex systems, data science and network science. It brings together attendees ranging from graduate students to senior faculty who span all of the schools across Northwestern, from applied math to sociology to biology and every discipline in-between. Please visit: https://bit.ly/WedatNICO for information on future speakers.
Time
Wednesday, October 29, 2025 at 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Location
Lower Level, Chambers Hall Map
Contact
Calendar
Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems (NICO)
Data Science Nights - October 2025 - Speaker: Buduka Ogonor, Physics and Astronomy
Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems (NICO)
5:30 PM
//
Lower Level, Chambers Hall
Details
OCTOBER MEETING: Thursday, October 30, 2025 at 5:30pm (US Central)
LOCATION:
In person: Chambers Hall, Lower Level
600 Foster Steet, Evanston Campus
AGENDA:
5:30pm - Meet and greet with refreshments
6:00pm - Talk with Buduka Ogonor, Motter Lab, Physics and Astronomy
Talk title and abstract TBA.
DATA SCIENCE NIGHTS are monthly meetings featuring presentations and discussions about data-driven science and complex systems, organized by Northwestern University graduate students and scholars. Students and researchers of all levels are welcome! For more information: http://bit.ly/nico-dsn
Time
Thursday, October 30, 2025 at 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Location
Lower Level, Chambers Hall Map
Contact
Calendar
Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems (NICO)
WED@NICO SEMINAR: Julio M. Ottino, Northwestern University "From Clocks to Clouds: The Complexity Revolution"
Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems (NICO)
12:00 PM
//
Lower Level, Chambers Hall
Details
Speaker:
Julio M. Ottino, Walter P. Murphy Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering, Northwestern University
Title:
From Clocks to Clouds: The Complexity Revolution: How Scientific Breakthroughs Reshaped Reality and Our Place Within It
Abstract:
For three centuries, Western thought was guided by a Newtonian worldview: the universe as a vast clock, predictable and controllable. That vision has unraveled. Scientific revolutions—from relativity and quantum mechanics to evolution, game theory, and complexity science—have revealed a world of uncertainty, emergence, and creative interconnection. We now inhabit a “cloud world,” where relationships matter more than parts, and uncertainty is not ignorance but potential. This talk traces the transformation from clocks to complexity, showing how these revolutions reshape our understanding of reality and what it means to navigate knowledge, organizations, and society in turbulent times.
Speaker Bio:
Julio M. Ottino is an engineering scientist recognized for his work in fluid dynamics, chaos and nonlinear dynamics, complex systems, and especially mixing. He was born in La Plata, Argentina and grew up with twin interests in the physical sciences and visual arts. He obtained his first degree at the University of La Plata, in Argentina, before receiving a PhD in chemical engineering from the University of Minnesota. He is currently at the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science in Northwestern University where he holds the titles of Robert R. McCormick Institute Professor and Walter P. Murphy Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering. He is also a professor of Management and Organizations at Kellogg School of Management. He was the co-founder and director of the Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems (NICO) and the author of the Kinematics of Mixing: Stretching, Chaos, and Transport (Cambridge University Press 1989) and The Nexus, Augmented Thinking for a Complex World, with Bruce Mau (MIT Press, 2022).
Location:
In person: Chambers Hall, 600 Foster Street, Lower Level
Remote option: https://northwestern.zoom.us/j/99053647199
Passcode: NICO25
About the Speaker Series:
Wednesdays@NICO is a vibrant weekly seminar series focusing broadly on the topics of complex systems, data science and network science. It brings together attendees ranging from graduate students to senior faculty who span all of the schools across Northwestern, from applied math to sociology to biology and every discipline in-between. Please visit: https://bit.ly/WedatNICO for information on future speakers.
Time
Wednesday, November 5, 2025 at 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Location
Lower Level, Chambers Hall Map
Contact
Calendar
Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems (NICO)
WED@NICO SEMINAR: Blaise Aguera y Arcas, Google "Symbiogenesis, Computational Parallelism, and Complexity in Evolution"
Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems (NICO)
12:00 PM
//
Lower Level, Chambers Hall
Details
Speaker:
Blaise Agüera y Arcas, VP/Fellow, CTO of Technology & Society, Google
Title:
Symbiogenesis, Computational Parallelism, and Complexity in Evolution
Abstract:
Symbiogenesis-- the fusion of formerly independent self-replicating entities into a larger self-replicating entity-- is proposed as the driving force behind evolution's "arrow of time" toward ever-increasing complexity. We'll explore an Artificial Life system as a minimal motivating example, then discuss the implications for biological evolution beyond the "standard" accounts of Major Evolutionary Transitions and "intelligence explosions" in brainy species. Energetic and computational implications will also be addressed.
Speaker Bio:
Blaise Agüera y Arcas is a VP and Fellow at Google, where he is the CTO of Technology & Society and founder of Paradigms of Intelligence (Pi). Pi is an organization working on fundamental research in AI and related fields, especially the foundations of neural computing, active inference, sociality, evolution, and Artificial Life.
In 2008, Blaise was awarded MIT’s TR35 prize. During his tenure at Google, Blaise has innovated on-device machine learning for Android and Pixel; invented Federated Learning, an approach to decentralized model training that avoids sharing private data; and founded the Artists + Machine Intelligence program.
An External Professor at Santa Fe Institute and a frequent public speaker, Blaise has given multiple TED talks and keynoted NeurIPS. He has also authored numerous papers, essays, op-eds, and chapters, as well as two previous books, Who Are We Now? and Ubi Sunt. His most recent book, What Is Life?, is part 1 of the larger book What Is Intelligence?, forthcoming from Antikythera and MIT Press in September 2025.
Location:
In person: Chambers Hall, 600 Foster Street, Lower Level
Remote option: https://northwestern.zoom.us/j/98741396308
Passcode: NICO25
About the Speaker Series:
Wednesdays@NICO is a vibrant weekly seminar series focusing broadly on the topics of complex systems, data science and network science. It brings together attendees ranging from graduate students to senior faculty who span all of the schools across Northwestern, from applied math to sociology to biology and every discipline in-between. Please visit: https://bit.ly/WedatNICO for information on future speakers.
Time
Wednesday, November 12, 2025 at 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Location
Lower Level, Chambers Hall Map
Contact
Calendar
Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems (NICO)
Data Science Nights - November 2025 - Speaker: Feihong Xu, ESAM
Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems (NICO)
5:30 PM
//
Lower Level, Chambers Hall
Details
NOVEMBER MEETING: Thursday, November 20, 2025 at 5:30pm (US Central)
LOCATION:
In person: Chambers Hall, Lower Level
600 Foster Steet, Evanston Campus
AGENDA:
5:30pm - Meet and greet with refreshments
6:00pm - Talk with Feihong Xu, Amaral Lab, ESAM
Talk title and abstract TBA.
DATA SCIENCE NIGHTS are monthly meetings featuring presentations and discussions about data-driven science and complex systems, organized by Northwestern University graduate students and scholars. Students and researchers of all levels are welcome! For more information: http://bit.ly/nico-dsn
Time
Thursday, November 20, 2025 at 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Location
Lower Level, Chambers Hall Map
Contact
Calendar
Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems (NICO)
Data Science Nights - December 2025 - Speaker: Yash Chainani, Chemical Engineering
Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems (NICO)
5:30 PM
//
Lower Level, Chambers Hall
Details
DECEMBER MEETING: Thursday, December 18, 2025 at 5:30pm (US Central)
LOCATION:
In person: Chambers Hall, Lower Level
600 Foster Steet, Evanston Campus
AGENDA:
5:30pm - Meet and greet with refreshments
6:00pm - Talk with Yash Chainani, Broadbelt & Tyo Labs, Chemical Engineering
Talk title and abstract TBA.
DATA SCIENCE NIGHTS are monthly meetings featuring presentations and discussions about data-driven science and complex systems, organized by Northwestern University graduate students and scholars. Students and researchers of all levels are welcome! For more information: http://bit.ly/nico-dsn
Time
Thursday, December 18, 2025 at 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Location
Lower Level, Chambers Hall Map
Contact
Calendar
Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems (NICO)