The CulturePlex Lab at Western University studies complexity in cultural systems through an interdisciplinary approach. The lab applies complexity theory to analyze aspects of the Hispanic Baroque, such as its constitution, religious expressions, and urban aspects. By using computational tools, the lab seeks to understand the flow of cultural ideas across time and space. The lab also develops tools and projects like virtual language learning labs and mobile learning games to advance knowledge mobilization and digital literacy.

1. The CulturePlex Lab @ Western University

2. Dr. Juan Luis Suarez (Director of the CulturePlex Lab) Research : C omplexity (complexity theory) in cultural systems Hispanic Baroque Digital Humanities Technologies of Humanism Globalization and new literatures History of ideas

3. The Hispanic Baroque through Complexity Theory The Hispanic Baroque: the lab to trace the interactions that created the cultural complexity of the Hispanic Baroque and that allow for their reproduction in and transfer to other cultural settings.

4. The Hispanic Baroque through Complexity Theory Complexity Theory: apply selected ideas such as "emergence," "dynamic stability," or "efficiency” to analyze three spheres of baroque culture: the baroque constitution, the baroque religious expressions, urban aspects of the baroque.

5. Why study the Hispanic Baroque? fundamental contribution to our understanding of complexity in contemporary societies, characterized by the increase of information flows and crossings over cultural and national boundaries.

6. How do we study the Baroque and complex cultures in general? Applying new computing tools store and analyze large amounts of cultural data and texts from which new models of cultural complexities at different scales are produced. explaining the flow of cultural ideas across time and space.

7. Why is it important to develop knowledge about culture? Humans are cultural. “… the well-being of nations is increasingly being defined by the ability to develop and advance knowledge. In other words, knowledge – as opposed to military might or GDP – is gaining momentum as the new currency and passport to success.” -- David Johnston

8. The CulturePlex Laboratory Physical space appropriate computer infrastructure interactive space for collaboration among researchers Objective Create tools that can become services and products for the community.

9. What we do at the CulturePlex Lab? Among many other things … track the origin and spread of baroque culture use computers to facilitate second-language learning develop new ways to catalogue digital objects create powerful software systems that make it possible to manage creative and humanistic content in the web 2.0.

10. How we do it? build and adapt the computer tools needed to enhance our analysis and offer the best visualization of the most complex cultural processes: agent-based modeling, topic maps, databases, natural language processing

11. The CulturePlex Approach to doing research: Collaborative a strong international team (Spain, Mexico, India, Australia) Multidisciplinary specialists in Cultural Transfers, Literary History, Mathematics, Art History, Architecture, Sociology, History, Anthropology, Music, and Complexity Theory Knowledge Mobilization Conferences, community involvement, social media, publications, student training.

12. The VL3: A Virtual Language Learning Lab Multidisciplinary project that brings together the fields of Digital Humanities, Theoretical Linguistics, Second Language Acquisition, Second Language Pedagogy and Spoken Dialogue Systems. Objective : to develop a prototype of a virtual laboratory for foreign language learning where learners will have the opportunity to improve their communicative skills through a predefined set of real communicative scenarios.

13. Dr. Glearning Mobile learning games application with content customizable by professors of any discipline. Objective : making learning available outside of the classroom and the computer lab.

14. Yutzu Collaborative online space that allows the user to collect content, collaborate with teammates and communicate with people everywhere. Objective : allow for compilation of different multimedia information on the Web into one organized portfolio (Yutzu).

15. Global Observatory of Culture A website that collects, measures and analyzes cultural objects according to a previously defined set of properties (of the object). Objective: establish a theory of cultural borders today by studying how cultural objects of one culture are assimilated by another and how does it get transferred to the next.

16. The next step: A Curriculum of Digital Humanities @ Western The institutionalization of an undergraduate curriculum of digital humanities to effectively implement digital literacy among Canadian students.

17. The CulturePlex as a Canadian research institution “ Canadians can play an important role in the global knowledge society. Our challenge is to renew our commitment to the principles of scientific learning that have served us well in the past, while drawing on the best thinking in navigating the changes ahead.” -- David Johnston, Governor General of Canada

19. Thank you!