Events › Energy Talks: Can Life Be Written as an Equation? A Network-Based View of Life, Complexity, and Climate Solutions

This speaker series is presented in partnership with Future Energy Systems. They focus on multidisciplinary research that develops the energy technologies of today and the near future, integrates them into today’s infrastructure, and examines possible consequences for our society, economy, and environment. Energy Talks provides an opportunity for you to engage with researchers and learn more about their work. Visit their website for more information: https://www.futureenergysystem..

Topic: Can Life Be Written as an Equation? A Network-Based View of Life, Complexity, and Climate Solutions

This question has fascinated scientists and thinkers for centuries. Can living systems be understood from a mathematical perspective without losing what makes them meaningful? This talk explores how network thinking and computational models can help describe living systems as structured, measurable processes—especially through metabolism, the chemical engine of cells. Using methane-consuming bacteria as a motivating example, we discuss how metabolic networks can produce emergent behavior and how similar network principles appear across many complex systems. Finally, we connect these ideas to climate-related applications, showing how mathematical models can support the design of biotechnological strategies for methane mitigation and sustainable production.

Speaker: Fabián Rondón
Fabián Rondón is a PhD student in Biological Sciences at the University of Alberta and a Chemical Engineer by training. He is a member of the Climate Change Microbiology research group, where his work focuses on synthetic biology and metabolic engineering to better understand and optimize microbial systems. His research explores how microbes can be engineered and simulated to improve methane bioconversion and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, combining computational modelling with biological insight to support more sustainable biotechnological solutions.


Online registration is required for this meetup. This event will be in-person, located at the Strathcona Branch in the Program Room.