Bridging the Inter-Disciplinary Gap in the Mathematical Modeling of Social Phenomena (25w5341)

The Banff International Research Station will host the “Bridging the Inter-Disciplinary Gap in the Mathematical Modeling of Social Phenomena” workshop in Banff from November 2 to 7, 2025.

The scientific interest in the mathematical analysis of social phenomena has been growing over the last decades. However, this interdisciplinary field, situated at the boundary of two distinct academic disciplines -- applied mathematics and sociology -- grapples with significant conceptual distance. Often, applied mathematicians are far from fieldwork, which could lead to inaccuracies in the mathematical models they develop. At the same time, social scientists may lack the technical tools to manipulate and refine the mathematical models that could help them in the understanding of social phenomena.

Through the workshop titled "Bridging the inter-disciplinary gap in the mathematical modeling of social phenomena", set to be held at the Banff International Research Station, our aim is to unite scholars spanning the entire disciplinary spectrum -- from mathematicians to social scientists -- in Banff's welcoming ambience. By gathering a diverse group of researchers with varied disciplines, backgrounds, and identities, we hope to lay the foundation for a bridge between these two research communities.

The Banff International Research Station for Mathematical Innovation and Discovery (BIRS) is a collaborative Canada-US-Mexico venture that provides an environment for creative interaction as well as the exchange of ideas, knowledge, and methods within the Mathematical Sciences, with related disciplines and with industry. The research station is located at The Banff Centre in Alberta and is supported by Canada’s Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), and Alberta’s Advanced Education and Technology.