Marc Barthelemy

Research Director, Institute of Theoretical Physics (IPhT), CEA Saclay
Member, Centre d’Analyse et de Mathématique Sociales (CAMS/EHESS)
External Faculty, Complexity Science Hub (Vienna)

Marc Barthelemy is a leading researcher in statistical physics and complex systems, internationally recognized for his foundational work on complex networks, spatial networks, and the science of cities. His research bridges theoretical physics, network science, epidemiology, and urban systems.

Author of more than 200 scientific publications and several influential books, he received the Jean Ricard Grand Prize of the French Physical Society (2024).

Auroop Ratan Ganguly

Distinguished Professor, Northeastern University
Director, AI for Climate and Sustainability, and Former Co-Director, Global Resilience Institute
Chief Scientist (Joint Appointment), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Auroop Ganguly is an internationally recognized climate and computational scientist whose work spans climate extremes, infrastructural resilience, artificial intelligence, and nonlinear dynamics.

His research integrates physics-guided data science, network science, and machine learning to advance understanding of climate risks and resilience of critical infrastructures. He is a Fellow of ASCE, Senior Member of IEEE, and ACM Distinguished Member.

Keynote title: Resilience of multimodal urban transportation to compound flooding

Abstract: Rapid urbanization and intensifying weather extremes, combined with financial disincentives and policy myopia, increase the probability of cascading failures in interconnected infrastructure and social systems in cities across the globe. Compound flooding in cities may cause widespread disruptions, affecting mobility and accessibility, with implications for safety, sustainability, security, prosperity, and health. However, there continues to be room for improvement in predictive understanding of the resilience of multimodal urban transportation systems and functions, including operational efficiency, robustness, graceful degradation, equitability, and recovery potential. Here we discuss the state -of-the-art regarding our understanding, the methods and tools that can be brought to bear, and our ability to inform operations and policy, along with brief descriptions of prior and ongoing case studies.

Igor Linkov

Research Professor, Balsillie School of International Affairs
Professor of Practice, University of Waterloo
Adjunct Professor, University of Maryland

Igor Linkov is an internationally recognized expert in risk analysis, resilience science, and decision-making under uncertainty. His research focuses on developing quantitative frameworks and analytical tools to support resilient infrastructure systems, environmental risk governance, and complex socio-technical systems.

He has contributed extensively to advancing resilience metrics, multicriteria decision analysis, and network-based approaches for managing systemic risks in critical infrastructures, including transportation, energy, and cyber-physical systems.

Author or editor of more than a dozen books and over 300 scientific publications, Igor Linkov has worked closely with international organizations and government agencies on resilience policy and infrastructure risk management.