Tiago Pereira da Silva

COVID-19, Mathematics

A vivid image from mathematician Tiago Pereira da Silva’s childhood is running barefoot down the street, as shoes were considered a luxury, reserved for school. Until he attended university, the furthest he had traveled was to an aunt’s home, 200 km from his own. Today, however, his scientific pursuits have taken him around the globe.

Despite earning a degree in physics from the University of São Paulo, Tiago chose to follow a career in mathematics. He completed his doctorate in nonlinear dynamics at the University of Potsdam, Germany. His post-doctoral journey led him to prestigious institutions such as Imperial College London in England, the Institute of Pure and Applied Mathematics in Rio de Janeiro, the Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany, and the Helmholtz Center for Mind and Brain Dynamics, also in Germany. In addition to his role as a professor at the State University of São Paulo, Tiago enjoys playing soccer in his leisure time.

Lattes

Projects

Predicting Critical Transitions: A reconstruction of complex networks
Science / Mathematics

This project aims to formulate a mathematical theory to shed light on emergent behavior in complex networks of non-linear dynamic systems. Examples of such complex networks include the brain, power grids, social networks, protein networks, and sensors in smart cities. These networks exhibit a mixed global behavior, with significant phenomena occurring on finite time scales. Consequently, conventional tools are inadequate for studying these systems. This proposal seeks to bridge this gap by developing a theory for emergent phenomena in complex networks. This could unlock vast potential, such as the ability to reconstruct system rules based on their behavior. If successful, this research could enable the prediction of critical transitions and the prevention of catastrophes.

Amount invested

1st phase: R$ 100,000.00
2nd phase: R$ 996,000.00 (R$ 700,000.00 + R$ 296,000.00 optional bonus for the integration and training of people from underrepresented groups in science)
ModCovid19
Science / COVID-19

Social distancing is a crucial strategy in controlling the spread of the new coronavirus among the population. However, the current protocols mandate uniform distancing across all cities within a state. The effectiveness of these measures could be enhanced, and their social and economic impacts minimized, were they tailored to the specific circumstances of each city or region. This is because each location is at a different stage in the disease’s progression, and hospital capacities can vary significantly from one place to another.

To address this, an interdisciplinary team led by researchers from the Center for Mathematical Sciences Applied to Industry at the University of São Paulo (Cemeai/USP-São Carlos) has developed a model. This model’s mathematical control mechanism allows for the simulation of when, how long, and to what extent distancing should be implemented in each location to prevent the health system from collapsing. The ModCovid19 project is supported by a partnership between Serrapilheira and the D’Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR). Stay tuned for the partial results.

The researchers involved in this project are:

  • Tiago Pereira da Silva (Coordinator) – ICMC-USP
  • Adriano Barbosa – FACET-UFGD
  • Claudia Sagastizábal – Unicamp
  • Claudio Struchiner – UERJ
  • Dan Marchesin – IMPA
  • Francisco Louzada – ICMC-USP
  • Guilherme Goedert – University of Rome
  • Krerley Oliveira – UFAL
  • Luis Gustavo Nonato – ICMC-USP
  • Paulo Silva – Unicamp
  • Sérgio Lira – UFAL
  • Thales Vieira – UFAL

Amount invested

R$ 522,081.00

Open Calls

Fundo emergencial Covid-19
Science Call 1
  • Topics
  • Catastrophes
  • cérebro
  • complex networks
  • critical transitions
  • non-linear dynamic systems
  • Power networks
  • Smart cities