Can we avoid another Manhattan blackout or minimize its impact? Can we sidestep natural catastrophes like Hurricane Sandy? How do we manage risk and complex behavioral patterns that result from a growing interconnectedness of systems? This seminar outlines the paradigm shift towards resilience,using models, techniques, and concepts that illustrate the emergent thinking: Unthinkable vs. Predictable; Black Swans vs. Dragon Kings.

Kay Axhausen, ETH Zurich

Dirk Helbing, ETH Zurich

Hans Rudolf Heinimann, ETH Zurich

Wolfgang Kröger, ETH Zurich

Dan Riordan, CEO, Zurich Global Corporate in North America

William Rouse, Stevens Institute of Technology

Reto Schneider, Swiss Re

Didier Sornette, ETH Zurich

Michael Szönyi, Flood Resilience Specialist, Zurich Risk Engineering

David Vetsch, ETH Zurich

Nassim Taleb, New York University

This event is part of Zürich Meets New York: A Festival of Swiss Ingenuity, May 16-23, 2014, highlighting the contemporary relevance of visionary movements and ideas born in Zurich and their impact on American culture. Building on the upcoming 100th anniversary of the Dada movement and Zurich’s role as a 21st-century hub for artistic and scientific innovation, the festival features 25 events at venues across the city, and is presented by the Consulate General of Switzerland in New York, the City of Zurich, ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich (UZH). 

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