UCL Computer Science academic wins Emerging Scientific Award for research on complex systems

Dr Maria Del Rio-Chanona, a lecturer in Financial Computing at UCL Computer Science, has been awarded the 2024 Emerging Researcher Award by the Complex Systems Society (CSS).  

This prestigious accolade is given annually to up to three early-career researchers who have made significant strides in the study of complex systems—a field that examines how interconnected parts of a system interact to produce behaviours that cannot be understood by studying the parts in isolation. 

The CSS Executive Committee unanimously selected Dr Del Rio-Chanona for her groundbreaking research on the economic impacts of emerging technologies, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the global shift towards net-zero carbon emissions. Her work is notable for showing that job transition opportunities are crucial to understanding how automation affects employment. 

Dr Del Rio-Chanona's research has involved close collaboration with various international organisations, including the World Bank, to analyse how shifts towards sustainable development affect job markets and economic inequality.  

A significant aspect of her work has been her development of data-driven approaches and agent-based models (ABMs), which have proven effective in forecasting economic impacts, such as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the UK economy. These models simulate the actions and interactions of individual agents, such as workers and companies, to understand the broader economic outcomes. 

Commenting on the award, Dr Del Rio-Chanona said: "Complex systems approaches have much to offer policymakers and can give solutions to critical challenges. I'm grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this field and hope it inspires deep collaborations across disciplines to tackle pressing global issues." 

Before joining UCL, Dr Del Rio-Chanona completed her PhD at the Institute for New Economic Thinking (INET) at Oxford University. She was subsequently awarded the prestigious JSMF research fellowship, a highly flexible grant that allows fellows to choose their own host institutions for research. During this time, Dr Del Rio-Chanona joined the Complexity Science Hub and conducted a research visit at the Harvard Growth Lab at the Kennedy School. 

The Complex Systems Society, which honoured Dr Del Rio-Chanona at an award ceremony on 6 September, focuses on advancing research in both theoretical and practical aspects of complex systems. The society seeks to encourage global collaboration among researchers, support the integration of complexity science in education and policy, and improve worldwide awareness of how these systems influence various aspects of our lives.