Ed Hill (Liverpool), Kirsty Bolton (Nottingham) and Ellen Zapata-Webborn (UCL)

Speakers: Ed Hill (Liverpool), Kirsty Bolton (Nottingham) and Ellen Zapata-Webborn(UCL)
Title: Modelling Behaviour for Global Challenges: Epidemics and Energy Systems
Abstract: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic showed the deficiencies of epidemic models to incorporate data-driven and theoretical knowledge of the behavioural response to infection threats. Other model systems are also sensitive to human behaviour, in particular energy systems, with onward implications for tackling climate change.
There are a lack of quantitative models that can be translated across disciplines and used to predict the evolving adoption of behaviours across individuals and populations, particularly in new social contexts. An upcoming Isaac Newton Institute Satellite Programme on ‘Maths of Human Behaviour: modelling sociality, mobility and protectionism’ (INI MHB), being held at the University of Nottingham from 14 July – 16 August 2026, will explore cross-cutting challenges in epidemiological and energy system modelling. The programme will include two one-week workshops with broader attendance - registration for those workshops will open in due course with details given below.
In this seminar, Kirsty Bolton and Ed Hill will first overview the INI MHB satellite programme and outline initial details for the two workshops. Ellen Zapata-Webborn will then discuss the topics of human behaviour of interest to energy researchers which may show similarities with those in epidemiology. For example, the uptake (spread) of solar panels within a community or incentives to drive desirable demand-side response to shift energy demand to more favourable times for the grid.