Thinking Complexity — 20 years at IXXI

ENS de Lyon, 4–6 November 2026

Wednesday, Nov. 4th — Morning

What are complex systems? (Philosophy & Epistemology)

TimeSpeakerAffiliationTitle
08:45–09:15Welcome ceremony
09:15–10:00 Karoline Wiesner University of Potsdam From Emergence to Explanation: The Science of Complex Systems
10:00–10:45 Brian Castellani Durham Research Methods Centre, Durham University What Are Complex Systems? Ontology, Epistemology and the Social Science Turn
10:45–11:15Coffee break
11:15–12:00 Jean-Pierre Dupuy Standford The Self-Transcendence of the Future
12:00–13:00Questions & discussions
13:00–14:30Lunch

Wednesday, Nov. 4th — Afternoon

Complex systems & physics, graphs and networks, biology

TimeSpeakerAffiliationTitle
14:30–15:15 Marc Mézard - Title coming soon
15:15–16:00 Albert-László Barabási - Title coming soon
16:00–16:30Coffee break
16:30–17:15 Sergi Valverde IBE, CSIC–UPF, Barcelona Software as an Evolving Ecology: Tinkering, Spandrels, and the Growth of Artificial Complexity
17:15–18:00Questions & discussions

Wednesday, Nov. 4th — Evening

Complex systems & institutions

TimeSpeakerAffiliationTitle
18:30–19:00 Michel Morvan Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer of Cosmo Tech, President of IRT SystemX From Academia to Industry: Translating Complex Systems Research into Practice
19:00–19:30 Annick Lesne CNRS & University of Montpellier Promoting the science of complex systems in France, from 2000 to present
19:45–20:15 Jean Dhombres - Title coming soon
20:15–20:45 Jean-Philippe Magué - Title coming soon
21:00–22:00Cocktail reception

Thursday, Nov. 5th — Morning

Complex systems & neurosciences, economics, ecosystems

TimeSpeakerAffiliationTitle
09:00–09:45 Fabrizio De Vico Fallani NERV Lab, Paris Brain Institute Networked minds: from brains to machines
09:45–10:30 Tiziana Di Matteo King's college, London Thinking Complexity in Economic and Financial Systems: An Econophysics Perspective
10:30–11:00Coffee break
11:00–11:45 Sonia Kéfi CNRS & ISEM Montpellier Nature: resilient yet fragile
11:45–12:45Questions & discussions
12:45–14:15Lunch

Thursday, Nov. 5th — Afternoon

Complex systems & social sciences

TimeSpeakerAffiliationTitle
14:15–15:00 Céline Rozenblat Institut de géographie et de durabilité - Université de Lausanne Multi-scale resilience of urban complex systems
15:00–15:45 Márton Karsai Central European University / HUN-REN Rényi Institute of Mathematics Socioeconomic networks, segregation patterns, and their dynamics
15:45–16:15Coffee break
16:15–17:00 David Chavalarias Centre d'Analyse et de Mathématique Sociales & Complex Systems Institute of Paris IdF The artificialization of cultural evolution: the impact of very large digital infrastructures on individuals and society
17:00–18:00Questions & discussions

Thursday, Nov. 5th — Evening

Complex Systems & Arts, Science, Society

TimeSpeakerAffiliationTitle
18:30-19:15 Fausto Fraisopi Aix-Marseille University Escaping linearity and plate ontologies. Complexity between Art and Science
19:15–20:00 Sara Franceschelli, Patrice Abry IXXI, ENS Lyon Art, Science, Experiences: a journey at the frontier of interdisciplinrity
15:45–16:15 break
20:00-21:00 Art-Science performances
21:00–22:00Cocktail reception

Friday, Nov. 6th — Morning

Complex systems & challenges for the future

TimeSpeakerAffiliationTitle
09:00–09:45 Andrew Pickering - Title coming soon
09:45–10:30 Sander van der Leeuw Arizona State University The adventure of complex systems in the social sciences in France
10:30–11:00Coffee break
11:00–12:30 Round table: The future of complex systems and their potential contributions to major societal stakes and to crisis solutions
12:30–13:00Concluding remarks