Aanjaneya Kumar

Starting at SFI October 2024

Aanjaneya is interested in the study of stochastic models of complex systems. Over the last few years, his primary aim has been to obtain insight into practically relevant problems by first formulating suitable mathematical models and then analyzing them using tools from statistical physics, network science, and evolutionary game theory. His research projects thus far can be broadly classified into the following themes - (i) extremal statistics and rare events, (ii) social dynamics and cultural evolution, and lastly, (iii) partially observed stochastic processes, which is also the theme of his PhD research being carried out at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Pune, India.

Going forward, apart from the aforementioned research directions, he is excited by the prospect of exploring the theme of Designing Resilient Institutions. The society we live in is structured by several formal and informal rules. These rules are shaped by cultural influences and social processes with the objective of producing desirable socio-economic outcomes. We refer to these rules as "institutions”. In addition to being efficient in promoting collective action on important societal issues, we require our institutions to be able to deal with and adapt to change. Aanj aims to understand the characteristics that make an institution resilient by exploring the co-evolutionary dynamics of institutions and socio-ecological systems.

Outside of academic research, he is passionate about writing, social justice, and horror movies.