Peter Klimek

Peter Klimek, Faculty member at the Complexity Science Hub

Peter Klimek is faculty member of the Complexity Science Hub.

Drawing from his expertise in complexity science, data science, statistics and physics, his research aims to improve our understanding and ability to predict complex socio-economic systems, ranging from human disease over healthcare systems to economic and financial systems.

Peter and his research team developed prediction and stress-test models for how people acquire more and more chronic disorders as they age, how healthcare systems cope with changes in their workforce, and how shocks disrupt economic and financial markets. He invented a novel statistical test to detect signs of electoral fraud and was the first to mathematically prove that governments are bound to become ineffective over time. He authored a textbook on the Theory of Complex Systems (together with S. Thurner and R. Hanel) and operated a model used by the Austrian government to forecast the COVID-19 epidemics in Austria.

Peter earned a PhD in physics in 2010 and a Venia Docendi (habilitation) in computational science in 2018. He is author or co-author of more than 60 publications, presented at more than 60 conferences or invited lectures. In 2021, he received the Paul Watzlawick Ring of Honor (together with Stefan Thurner). In 2022, he was named Austrian Scientist of the Year 2021.

Peter is also director of the Supply Chain Intelligence Institute Austria (ASCII) and holds an associate professorship at the Medical University of Vienna.