Going with the Flow

New York City is defined by movement, from its dozens of subway lines to the endless streams of people navigating the sidewalks. But this kind of intricate flow isn’t unique to the urban world. Inside our bodies, blood pulses through vessels while neurons fire across the brain. These are examples of living systems built on networks that constantly adapt, respond, ferry vital resources, and transmit signals to keep us alive. What parallels or insights might emerge when we take a closer look at these different kinds of flow?

Biophysicist Eleni Katifori of the Simon Foundation’s Flatiron Institute researches the dynamics of biological flow networks, revealing the hidden rules that govern how living systems maintain flow at every scale. Zhan Guo is an urban mobility expert at New York University who examines how New Yorkers’ travel behaviors interact with our city’s transportation systems — from our iconic subway to the beloved bike share program — and how intentional design can shape, guide and even nudge those behaviors to influence the flow and experience of urban life.

Join them as they sit down with Elizabeth Simolke, senior program manager in the Simons Foundation’s Science, Society & Culture division, for a conversation exploring how Katifori and Guo approach and understand “flow” in their work, from the systems inside our bodies to those shaping our everyday life in New York City.