Driven by curiosity. Driving changeBiography
Dr Sebastian Ahnert leads the Structural Complexity group in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology at the University of Cambridge. His research sits at the intersection of theoretical physics, biology, mathematics and computer science.
Sebastian obtained a BA in Natural Sciences and a MMath in Mathematics from the University of Cambridge in 2002 before continuing his studies at the University, obtaining a PhD in Theoretical Physics in 2005. He is an Official Fellow at King’s College, Cambridge.
In addition, Sebastian is a Senior Research Fellow at the Alan Turing Institute.
Research interests
- The study of structural and functional complexity in biology from the perspective of algorithmic information theory, as well as interdisciplinary applications of algorithmic information theory more generally.
- Network analysis, in areas of both method development and in interdisciplinary applications of network analysis to biology, the humanities, and social sciences.
Dr Ahnert’s group is interested in studying, modelling, quantifying, and classifying structural complexity in a wide range of contexts, from biomolecules to self-assembling systems and networks. To achieve this, they use computational and theoretical approaches such as algorithmic information theory and network analysis.
Awards and achievements
- Official Fellow – King’s College, Cambridge
- Senior Research Fellow – Alan Turing Institute
Teaching and supervision
Dr Ahnert teaches and supervises across undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Dr Sebastian Ahnert
University Associate Professor
Structural Complexity research group leader