sfiscience

Our Mission

Searching for Order in the Complexity of Evolving Worlds

Our researchers endeavor to understand and unify the underlying, shared patterns in complex physical, biological, social, cultural, technological, and even possible astrobiological worlds. Our global research network of scholars spans borders, departments, and disciplines, unifying curious minds steeped in rigorous logical, mathematical, and computational reasoning. As we reveal the unseen mechanisms and processes that shape these evolving worlds, we seek to use this understanding to promote the well-being of humankind and of life on earth.

What Is Complexity?

Complexity arises in any system in which many agents interact and adapt to one another and their environments. Examples of these complex systems include the nervous system, the Internet, ecosystems, economies, cities, and civilizations. As individual agents interact and adapt within these systems, evolutionary processes and often surprising "emergent" behaviors arise at the macro level. Complexity science attempts to find common mechanisms that lead to complexity in nominally distinct physical, biological, social, and technological systems.

The Impact Of Complexity Science

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Preventing Pandemics

SFI researchers have applied network analysis to novel data in order to model the spread of COVID-19, influenza, pertussis, malaria, dengue, Ebola, and Zika. Many techniques used on the front lines of pandemic tracking tap SFI innovations.

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Sustainable Cities

Our ongoing Cities and Sustainability project is helping urban planners design for more innovative, sustainable, and equitable urban centers. From economies of scale to cycles of innovation, the emerging science of cities offers important important insights for an urbanizing world. Photo courtesy Unsplash.

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Cool Computation

Computers have changed the world, but there are thermodynamic tradeoffs to all that computing power. Not only is overheating an issue, but computers also account for a nonsignificant percent of US energy consumption. Taking a cue from the thermodynamic efficiencies found in nature, SFI researchers are developing a science that could lead to cooler, next-generation computers.

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Network Clustering

Network clustering, an algorithmic technique for identifying communities in complex network data, is the basis for social media networking sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn that link people based on common location, interests, occupation, etc. Researchers affiliated with SFI have significantly advanced the state of the art in network science and community detection.

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Biological Computing

External Professor Stephanie Forrest is among computer scientists looking to immune system function for ways to create self-healing software and computer networks and for new approaches to cyber security.

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Innovation on the Grid

Today’s increasingly complex electricity landscape — rising electricity demand, an influx of renewable energy from wind and solar farms, stronger storms, and decentralized rooftop solar generation — is forcing a rethink of the nation’s century-old power grid. SFI Professor Cris Moore and External Professor Seth Blumsack are taking cues from ecology, network theory, and the behavioral sciences to rethink electricity delivery.

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Something Different

Diversity is not only good for society and ecosystems -- it’s good for business. Jennifer Dunne, Mirta Galesic, Scott Page, Geoffrey West and other SFI researchers are exploring how diversity in perspectives, backgrounds, and knowledge can make companies more resilient and adaptable.

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Decoding the Microbiome

SFI External Professor Elhanan Borenstein and Science Board member Jessica Green use computational modeling and machine learning to decode the microbiome — the invisible network of bacteria, algae, fungi and other tiny life forms that live in our bodies and environment — and glean new insights into the structure, distribution and health implications of these systems.

SFI's History

Founded in 1984, the Santa Fe Institute was the first research institute dedicated to the study of complex adaptive systems. We are operated as an independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) research and education center.

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Location

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Cowan Campus

The Santa Fe Institute’s Cowan Campus is located in Santa Fe, New Mexico in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo mountains.

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Miller Campus

SFI’s Miller Campus in Tesuque, NM was inaugurated in November 2019 by Bill Miller, SFI Life Trustee and Chairman Emeritus.

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SFI in Winter

SFI's campuses are home to about 50 researchers and staff and host over 1,000 visitors annually.

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Window Equations

An abundance of glass walls offer impromptu writing space.

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Caves and Commons

Both campuses combine traditional office spaces with with open areas for collaboration.

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Rain over Tesuque

Surrounded by hiking trails, both SFI campuses enjoy breathtaking views of the New Mexico landscape.

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