The 2026 ADIA Lab Seminar Series kicks off with a landmark session, featuring two of the leading figures in complexity science and econometrics: Professor Geoffrey West, Theoretical Physicist, Complexity Scientist and Former President of the Santa Fe Institute (SFI); and Nobel Laureate, and ADIA Lab Advisory Board member, Professor Guido Imbens.
The seminar features:
‘Hidden Laws of Life, Growth, Death, and Innovation - from Organisms and Companies to Cities and the Anthroposphere’
‘Randomized Experiments, Then and Now’
by Nobel Laureate, Professor Guido Imbens
Hosted by ADIA Lab at the ADGM Academy, the two complementary talks will explore how systems grow, how innovation shapes societies, and how causal effects can be rigorously identified in an increasingly complex world.
Theoretical Physicist and Complexity Scientist; Former President of the Santa Fe Institute (SFI)
Professor Geoffrey West will present his pioneering work on universal scaling laws that govern living systems - from cells and organisms to cities and companies - revealing how innovation, wealth creation, and accelerating urban life are constrained by deep structural principles. His talk will examine the implications of these “hidden laws” for long-term sustainability, systemic risk, and potential tipping points in the anthroposphere.
Applied Econometrics Professor, Stanford Graduate School of Business; ADIA Lab Advisory Board Member; Nobel Laureate (Economic Sciences)
Professor Guido Imbens will discuss the power of randomized experiments and their unparalleled ability to uncover causal effects. Drawing on classic and contemporary examples, he will examine modern settings where randomization alone is insufficient and introduce new experimental designs developed to address these challenges. Illustrations will include recent experiments evaluating the effects of AI on labor markets.Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Why Attend?
Featuring a Nobel Laureate and a pioneer of complexity science, this seminar brings together two globally respected thinkers whose work has shaped how we understand complex systems and causal impact. It offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from leaders at the forefront of complexity science and modern econometrics.