Forum Numerica - Eric GOLES "Dynamics of some discrete social models: Schelling et Sakoda"

September 25, 2025 - 2pm

Abstract

In 1971, an economist (Schelling) and a political scientist (Sakoda) presented two models of social interaction in the journal Social Science. 
The economist won the Nobel Prize in 2005, while the social scientist was virtually ignored. 
In this lecture, I will present the history of the two models and some of their results.

About the speaker

Eric Goles obtained his PhD in Engineering from the University of Grenoble, France, in 1980.
He is a full professor at the Faculty of Engineering and Sciences and director of the Complexity Centre at Adolfo Ibáñez University (Santiago, Chile).
He received the National Prize for Exact Sciences in 1993 and the ‘Distinguished Personalities’ award from the University of the Pacific in 2000.
He has also been recognised abroad with the Honourable Mention, OAS award, Manuel Noriega Morales in 1986.
He was a full member of the Academy of Sciences, a member of the Scientific Committee of the Alta Scuola Politecnica in Italy, part of the Team of Experts of the Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne for the ‘International Scientific Advisory Board’ in Switzerland, and participated in the Scientific Committee of the Bios Group Company in the United States. He was an Associate Researcher at the ATENEO Polytechnic Institute of Turin, Italy. He is also the author of five books and 120 international publications.