Electrical Engineering Serim Ilday brings the Simply Complex Lab to Bochum

Since January 2023, Professor Serim Ilday has been appointed Chair of Simply Complex Lab at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology of Ruhr University Bochum. Her research is at the intersection of soft condensed matter, nonequilibrium, and nonlinear physics and interfaces with materials science, nanotechnology, and mechanobiology. “My work focuses on complex systems that are us and everything that is happening around us!”, says the researcher. “Examples are ecosystems, the human brain, social networks, financial markets, weather patterns, traffic flow, the Internet, and many more.”

Complex systems are dynamic, adaptive, and ever-evolving. They are composed of multiple interconnected and interdependent elements or components that interact with each other in many ways, giving rise to emergent behaviour that cannot be easily predicted or understood by analyzing the individual elements or components in isolation.

These are also mysterious and mischievous systems and are often regarded as unpredictable. “At the Simply Complex Lab, we aim to understand and control their operational dynamics and, if possible, predict their future. This goal is incredibly challenging, almost equivalent to charting a course in troubled waters! Therefore, our approach is to design ‘simple’ experimental systems or theoretical models exhibiting rich complexity in their dynamics. Hence the name of the lab“, as she explains.

Each question I have addressed so far has brought many more challenging ones.

—
Serim Ilday

Curiosity is the driving force for Serim Ilday: “The joy of finding things out before anyone else. Making a difference. Inspiring and being inspired by others.” Hence, she would like to continue unravelling complexity. “Each question I have addressed so far has brought many more challenging ones. I feel I will never stop chasing them”, she says.

Beyond that, her group is also determined to solve technologically persistent problems by exploring solutions using their approach and various unique experimental systems they have designed. Earlier, they have shown proof-of-concept of their potential applications in their more basic science-oriented work. “However, at Ruhr University, we aim to follow up on these proof-of-concept demonstrations and turn them into everyday use technologies.”