On behalf of the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Councils on Catastrophic Risks and Complex Systems, we would like to invite you to a workshop in London on 3rd July 2013, exploring the process of identifying the multiple underlying and interacting causalities that lead to the spread of disease, using insights from complexity theory. To also identify the key experts that will need to be involved in any ongoing process.

The longer term objective of this cooperation between the Catastrophic Risks and Complex Systems councils is to identify the enabling environment that will effectively address the complex problem;  by addressing all the key dimensions at the same time and at multiple scales; from  action by individuals to avoid infection, to actions by health authorities and governments.

The workshop will be an initial meeting to try and identify some of the dimensions in the ‘multi-dimensional problem space’; dimensions in this context mean social, cultural, physical, political, economic, technical, etc. that influence and change each other. It is not only the behaviour of the virus, but also the patterns of behaviour of humans, the physical conditions of travel, the immune system of individuals, etc. that are likely to contribute to the spread of epidemics.

We are working on the assumption that we first need to explore and identify the key dimensions in the problem space and their interactions. To do so we need the help and advice of experts like you and your colleagues in all relevant disciplines; and we sincerely hope that you will accept this invitation to join the Workshop on 3^rd July at the London Underwriting Centre, 3 Minster Court , Mincing Lane, London EC3R 7DD.

As preparation for the workshop we would invite you to send a short position paper (500 words), as soon as possible, and would also like to invite you to make a short statement based on that position paper, at the 3^rd July workshop. Both the paper and the statement need to focus on the likely conditions (social, cultural, technical, physical, economic, financial, etc. etc.) that contribute to the spread of infectious disease across borders, seen from your particular speciality and expertise.