Crises, Conflicts, Disasters 
...from the Perspective of Mathematics and Computer Science

Rombuch 2024 as a PDF

Financial crises, generational conflicts, environmental disasters, and now even war shape our lives and demand action or a response. In this Rome seminar, we will examine the ways in which mathematics and computer science are involved—as (contributing) causes, as objects of study, or even as solutions and sources of help. This allows us to ask:

• What crises and conflicts—for example, regarding their very foundations—have existed and continue to exist in our (and other) sciences?
• (How) can crises (such as those in economics or ecology) be better understood through mathematics and computer science?
• Can we use mathematics to help resolve conflicts—such as when dividing a cake or an inheritance?
• What is the mathematical “catastrophe theory”? Is it useful or just a marketing gimmick?
• What role have mathematics and computer science played—or do they play—in wars?

These and other topics will be addressed at the 2024 Rome Seminar, depending on the participants’ preferences. It thus offers a unique opportunity to look beyond the boundaries of one’s own field of study and discuss topics of general relevance (against the backdrop of our disciplines). But it’s also about practicing presentation, rhetoric, and discussion in an academic context. 

Over the course of the 2023–24 winter semester, we will first explore and develop the topic through shared reading, short introductory presentations, and discussions. By the end of December, each participant should have identified their own project. This project will ultimately be presented and discussed during our group field trip to Rome (February 25 through March 2, 2024). Through a diverse accompanying program, we will also draw inspiration from places in the “Eternal City” that are not normally accessible to the public.