The Waterloo Institute for Complexity and Innovation is currently pursuing five distinct research programs, each supported by an active group of researchers that meet regularly:

Comparative Threshold Behavior in Physical, Ecological, and Social Systems
Cognitive-Affective Modeling; Dimensions of Ideology
Open-Architecture Problem Solving
Alternatives to Conventional Growth
Vulnerabilities in Human-Environment systems: Tools for complex system analysis (Urban environments)

Comparative Threshold Behavior in Physical, Ecological, and Social Systems

The research program explores similarities and differences between theories explaining sharply nonlinear or “threshold” behavior in physical, ecological, and social systems. It will apply this knowledge to better explain sudden shifts in belief in social networks.

Cognitive-Affective Modeling; Dimensions of Ideology

This research group is pursuing: 1. the development of a methodology—Cognitive-Affective Mapping—for representing graphically the content of beliefs, including their emotional valence; and 2. a description of the dimensions describing the state space of contemporary political and economic ideologies, along with an account of mechanisms of change within that state space.

Open-Architecture Problem Solving

This project seeks to identify processes for enabling legitimate collective problem solving in response to the global ecological crisis. Of particular interest are applications of open-source methods to large-scale, collaborative and voluntary problem solving—especially methods that might improve democratic practice.

Alternatives to Conventional Growth

This group is investigating the technical, social, and ethical implications of various pathways of change towards economic systems with radically reduced material and energy throughput. In this context, it is specifically investigating the relationship between energy input and societal complexity.

Vulnerabilities in Human-Environment systems: Tools for complex system analysis (Urban environments)

Professor Dawn Parker is currently leading a research team to develop agent-based residential land use and transportation models that explore linkages between socioeconomic and cultural characteristics of residents; their choices in housing markets, daily transport decisions, and environmental management of their properties; the goals and behaviour of developers; the constraints placed on both groups by policy makers and planners; and the macro-scale emergent patterns of urban form and transit network function that result.