Annual Conference 2025
29 September 2025 in Vienna (Austria)
Complex Systems: Shaping the Future for a Resilient Society
Austrian Academy of Sciences, ÖAW
Vienna, Austria, September 29, 2025
–
The 2025 Euro-CASE Annual Conference
Summary
CONFERENCE GOAL
Real-world systems – whether environmental, societal or technological – are inherently complex. They involve nonlinear interactions, feedback loops, delays, and emergent behaviors that challenge traditional, siloed approaches. Our goal is to explore how we can better understand and manage these systems to increase societal resilience.
ADDRESS TODAY’S MOST PRESSING CHALLENGES
From climate instability to healthcare system shocks and energy transitions – modern problems are deeply interconnected. This symposium tackles these challenges through the lens of complex systems, offering new ways to understand and act on them.
THINK BEYOND THE SILOS
Complex problems don’t fit neatly into disciplines. This event brings together voices from science, engineering, policy and society to build cross-disciplinary insights and solutions, encouraging new connections that mirror the interwoven nature of the challenges we face.
EXPLORE HIGH-LEVEL, ACTIONABLE IDEAS
We’re not just dissecting problems – we’re imagining bold, conceptual strategies that can lead to real-world impact. Expect big-picture thinking grounded in practical applications.
BUILD A MORE RESILIENT FUTURE
Learn how resilience can be designed into systems – from ecosystems to infrastructure – and how that mindset can help society adapt and thrive amidst uncertainty.
CONNECT, COLLABORATE AND INNOVATE
Meet leading thinkers, practitioners and change-makers. This is a unique opportunity to form meaningful partnerships and spark innovative projects that extend well beyond the symposium.
Photos: ©OeAW, Daniel Hinterramskogler
Opening session
•1/ Heinz Fassmann | President of the Austrian Academy of Sciences
•2/ Eloy Alvarez Pelegry | Euro-CASE Chair
•3/ Dimitra Simeonidou | member of the group of Chief Scientific Advisors at Scientific Advice Mechanism (SAM) of the European Commission
•4/ Günter Blöschl | Conference Chair, Austrian Academy of Sciences
Session HEALTH
•5/ Andreas Bergthaler | Academy of Sciences and Medical University of Vienna
•6/ Stefan Thurner | Complexity Science Hub Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, Austria
•7/ Al Ozonoff | Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, USA
•8/ Maja Schlüter | Stockholm University, Sweden
•9/ Barbara Prainsack | University of Vienna, Austria
Session ENERGY
•10/ Georg Brasseur | Graz University of Technology
•11/ Reinhard Hüttl | EEI Eco-Environment Innovation and acatech – National Academy of Science and Engineering, Germany
•12/ Robert Schlögl | Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Germany
•13/ Stefan Freunberger | ISTA – Institute of Science and Technology Austria
•14/ Louis de Fontenelle | Université de Pau et des Pays de l‘Adour, France
Session ENVIRONMENT
•15/ Iris Eisenberger | University of Vienna
•16/ Alberto Montanai | University of Bologna and ITATEC – Italian Academy of Engineering and Technology, Italy
•17/ Jürgen Kurths | PIK – Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and Humboldt University, Germany
•18/ Sean Downey | The Ohio State University, USA
•19/ Alice Vadrot | University of Vienna, Austria
Closing session
•20/ Günter Blöschl | Conference Chair, Austrian Academy of Sciences
•21/ Tom Leahy, Sean Finlay and Sane McHugh | The Irish Academy of Engineering (Ireland) and The Royal Academy of Engineering (UK), Co-Hosts of the 2026 Euro-CASE Annual Conference
•22/ Eloy Alvarez Pelegry | Euro-CASE Chair
PROGRAMME
08:00
Registration
08:30
Welcome Coffee
09:00
Welcome
- Heinz Fassmann | President of the Austrian Academy of Sciences
- Eloy Alvarez Pelegry | Euro-CASE Chair
- Dimitra Simeonidou | member of the group of Chief Scientific Advisors at Scientific Advice Mechanism (SAM) of the European Commission
Complex Systems for Policy and Resilience: Insights from Telecoms infrastructure as a Planetary-Scale Sensor of Complexity LINK - Günter Blöschl | Conference Chair, Austrian Academy of Sciences
09:30
PANEL ON HEALTH
presentations of 15 minutes each
Moderator: Andreas Bergthaler | Centre for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian
Academy of Sciences and Medical University of Vienna
- Stefan Thurner | Complexity Science Hub Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, Austria
Health care – a complex system LINK - Al Ozonoff | Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, USA
Decentralizing predictive epidemiology: From local practice to global foresight LINK - Maja Schlüter | Stockholm University, Sweden
Making sense of messy societal change processes – implications of complexities for theorizing and action LINK - Barbara Prainsack | University of Vienna, Austria
The power of ‘gardening‘: Cultivating resilience in policy making LINK
11:30
LUNCH
12:45
PANEL ON ENERGY
presentations of 15 minutes each
Moderator: Georg Brasseur, Graz University of Technology
- Reinhard Hüttl | EEI Eco-Environment Innovation and acatech – National Academy of Science and Engineering, Germany
Soils, climate change and renewable energy LINK - Robert Schlögl | Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Germany
Energy: A Real-World System in Transition LINK - Stefan Freunberger | ISTA – Institute of Science and Technology Austria
Electrochemical Energy Storage in the Energy Transition LINK - Louis de Fontenelle | Université de Pau et des Pays de l‘Adour, France
Law, Complexity and Energy Transitions: Building Resilient Pathways for the Future LINK
14:45
COFFEE BREAK
15:30
PANEL ON ENVIRONMENT
presentations of 15 minutes each
Moderator: Iris Eisenberger, University of Vienna
- Alberto Montanari | University of Bologna and ITATEC – Italian Academy of Engineering and Technology, Italy
Is complexity the reason for limited predictability of environmental extremes? LINK - Jürgen Kurths | PIK – Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and Humboldt University, Germany
Climate Meets Complex Systems: Exploring Teleconnections in the Climate System via a Complex Network Approach LINK - Sean Downey | The Ohio State University, USA
Adaptive self-organization in swidden agriculture LINK - Alice Vadrot | University of Vienna, Austria
Negotiating complexity: the future of science in multilateral environmental diplomacy LINK
17:30
Closing
- Günter Blöschl | Conference Chair, Austrian Academy of Sciences
- Tom Leahy and Tim Chapman | The Irish Academy of Engineering (Ireland) and The Royal Academy of Engineering (UK), Co-Hosts of the 2026 Euro-CASE Annual Conference
- Eloy Alvarez Pelegry | Euro-CASE Chair
18:00
Cocktail Reception
SPEAKERS
Heinz Fassmann
President of the Austrian Academy of Sciences
Eloy Alvarez Pelegry
Euro-CASE Chair
Günter Blöschl
Conference Chair, Austrian Academy of Sciences
–