معرفی
Stefan Thurner is a Professor and Chair of Science of Complex Systems at the Medical University of Vienna, and President and co-founder of the Complexity Science Hub (CSH) in Vienna. He is also an external professor at the Santa Fe Institute. His work spans complex systems theory, network science, and applications in healthcare, economics, supply chains, and social dynamics.
- PhD in Theoretical Physics, TU Wien
- PhD in Economics, University of Vienna
- Habilitation in Theoretical Physics
- Postdoctoral positions at Humboldt University Berlin and Boston University
Thurner's research focuses on the dynamics of complex adaptive systems, with applications in medicine (network medicine, comorbidity), financial and supply chain economics, systemic risk, social opinion dynamics, and healthcare resilience. He has published over 300 scientific articles and his work is widely covered in global media including The New York Times, BBC, Nature, and New Scientist.
The recent 15 publications reflect a strong trend toward interdisciplinary applications of network science and complexity theory, particularly in healthcare (epidemiology, comorbidity, mental health), supply chain resilience, systemic risk modeling, and social dynamics. Key themes include the impact of shocks (pandemics, famines, war), network-based risk propagation, policy-relevant modeling, and data-driven insights into societal systems.
- Austrian Scientist of the Year (2017)
- Paul Watzlawick Ring of Honor (2021)
Thurner leads major research initiatives at CSH, advising PhD students and collaborating with a wide network of researchers. He has been involved in forecasting models for pandemic response, supply chain risk assessment, election forensics, and policy recommendations for climate transition. His team leverages large-scale datasets from health registers, supply chains, and digital platforms to build predictive models of complex socio-technical systems. He advocates for data transparency and open science, particularly in public health and economic policy.
Thurner leads the Complexity Science Hub, a multidisciplinary research institute focused on data-driven modeling of complex systems. The CSH team includes experts in network science, data analytics, economics, and public policy. The hub collaborates with national and international institutions, including the Austrian Central Bank (OeNB), and has spun off initiatives like Iknaio for forensic data analysis. Current projects include modeling societal metabolism, algorithmic fairness, and digital humanism.
