Mathematics of Mass Extinctions INI Network Support

Ivan Sudakow and Sergei Petrovskii (Leicester) have been awarded a £20,000 grant from the Isaac Newton Institute to develop the Mathematics of Mass Extinctions research network.

The overarching goal of the network is to mainstream and promote a mathematical approach to understanding extinction events in Earth history. More specifically, the objectives of the network are as follows:

• To continue summarizing and revisiting the existing quantitative approaches to understanding mass extinction events.
• To identify the array of mathematical techniques required to model mass extinction events and reveal state-of-the-art statistical and AI tools to analyze available fossil data to allow for qualitative comparison with theory and modeling predictions.
• To provide a synthesis of the above and understand how mathematical sciences will be benefited from such modelling.
• To motivate mathematical scientists to be involved in interdisciplinary research of mass extinction through the network events and activities including promoting equity, diversity and accessibility in this research. As well as developing a set of measures to engage general audience in understanding the fragility of our biosphere from a mathematical approach.