János Kertész is a Professor at the Department of Network and Data Science at Central European University (CEU) since 2012, and previously held the position of Professor at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (1992–2018). He obtained his PhD in Physics from Eötvös University (1980) and DSc from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (1989). His research spans statistical physics applications, complex networks, and financial analysis. He has authored over 280 papers and served on editorial boards of journals like Journal of Physics A and Physical Review E . His research focuses on interdisciplinary topics including social network dynamics, systemic risk in economic systems, and algorithmic bias in digital environments. Notable awards include the Széchenyi Prize (Hungary’s highest scientific honor) and the Finland Distinguished Professorship. He has led projects such as SAI (Socially Explainable AI) and HUMANE-AI-NET, addressing algorithmic bias and AI ethics. His work bridges physics-based modeling with real-world social and economic systems, emphasizing computational approaches to corruption, opinion formation, and innovation diffusion. Key contributions include modeling cascading failures in interdependent networks and analyzing attention dynamics on platforms like Sina Weibo during the pandemic. He advises on systemic risk mitigation strategies and collaborates internationally, with visiting roles in Germany, the U.S., France, Italy, and Finland.
