Shlomo Havlin wins Bakhuis Roozeboom Medal

Havlin addresses a broad spectrum of issues within the field. He and his team demonstrated, for example, that complex networks, such as epidemics or traffic networks, often follow mathematical patterns that repeat on different scales. He also developed the first approach to a theory that describes the behaviour of liquids, gases or electricity in materials with an unpredictable structure through the formation of connections, i.e. the 'percolation theory'.

Havlin's research makes clear how complex networks mutually influence each other. A concept often referred to as 'networks of networks'. It highlights, for example, how failures in one network can lead to a chain reaction of failures in other interconnected systems. This knowledge has significant implications for various aspects of our daily lives, such as the impact of a power failure on our internet and other communication systems.

About the winner

Shlomo Havlin (1942) has been a professor of physics at Bar-Ilan University in Israel since 1984. He studied physics at Bar-Ilan University and obtained his PhD there with Highest Distinction in 1972. Together with his colleagues, Havlin published hundreds of widely cited articles over a period of more than 50 years. 

His achievements as a researcher are complemented by his skills as a lecturer, for which he received the Lilienfeld Prize from the American Physical Society in 2010. This prize recognises extraordinary contributions to physics and exceptional skills in lecturing to diverse audiences. In 2018, he received the Israel Prize for his accomplishments in Physics, a national prize that is bestowed on those who have displayed excellence in their field(s).