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Dr Michael Harre

Lecturer in Complex SystemsComplex Systems Cluster

A14 - The Quadrangle
The University of Sydney

Telephone +61 405 401 137

Research interests

Among the seemingly disparate issues that concern many of us are how our retirement years will be affected by the prevailing financial markets and other economic conditions, and the implications of climate change for the long-term prospects of human life on this planet. Dr Michael Harré's research into complex adaptive systems has applications in both of these areas, among many others. He studies how systems as diverse as financial markets and environmental ecosystems evolve and are affected by variations in human behaviour, with the aim of allowing us to better manage these systems and to thrive as a society in the complex environments in which we live.

"We are not well equipped, cognitively speaking, to deal with the complexity of the systems that have come to dominate our world: financial and economic systems, climatic systems and even our social interactions and how information is spread. Everything depends on everything else, often leading to the impression that chaos and disorder dominate, and that trying to understand such systems is a lost cause. But if we scratch the surface, there are often some basic underlying principles. Understanding these is the biggest challenge we face today, and this is what my work aims to do.

"My work is largely mathematical - I look at the mathematics reflected in complex systems. This can give us a better understanding of how relatively small variations in human behaviour can lead to quite significant and sometimes sudden system-level consequences - such as the behaviours of individual buyers and sellers leading to a financial market crash.

"I've been working in this field for the past six years, three of them at the University of Sydney, which has proven to be an excellent place to develop new and independent lines of research."

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Teaching and supervision

ENGG2850 - Introduction to Project Finance
PMGT5893 - Statistical Methods in PM

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Selected grants

2009

  • Modelling concept formation; Harre M; Asian Office of Aerospace Research And Development/Research Support.
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Selected publications

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Book Chapters

  • Bossomaier, T., Harre, M., Thompson, J. (2009). Evolution of Trust in Economic Systems. In Marisa Faggini, Thomas Lux (Eds.), Coping with the Complexity of Economics, (pp. 3-18). Italy: Springer.

Journals

  • Harre, M. (2013). A social network model for the development of a ‘Theory of Mind’. Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Online), 410, 1-4.
  • Harre, M. (2013). From Amateur to Professional: A Neuro-cognitive Model of Categories and Expert Development. Minds and Machines: journal for artificial intelligence, philosophy and cognitive sciences.
  • Bossomaier, T., Barnett, L., Harre, M. (2013). Information and phase transitions in socio-economic systems. Complex Adaptive Systems Modeling, 1(9).
  • Harre, M. (2013). Navigating catastrophes: Local but not global optimisation allows for macro-economic navigation of crises. Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Online), 410, 1-4.
  • Wolpert, D., Harre, M., Olbrich, E., Bertschinger, N., Jost, J. (2012). Hysteresis effects of changing the parameters of noncooperative games. Physical Review E (Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics), 85(3), 1-12.
  • Harre, M., Snyder, A. (2012). Intuitive Expertise and Perceptual Templates. Minds and Machines: journal for artificial intelligence, philosophy and cognitive sciences, 22(3), 167-182.
  • Bossomaier, T., Harre, M., Thiruvarudchelvan, V. (2012). Seeing the Big Picture: Influence of Global Factors on Local Decisions. International Journal on Advances in Software, 5(1-2), 121-130.
  • Harre, M., Bossomaier, T., Snyder, A. (2012). The Perceptual Cues that Reshape Expert Reasoning. Scientific Reports, 2, 1-9.
  • Wolpert, D., Jamison, J., Newth, D., Harre, M. (2011). Strategic Choice of Preferences: the Persona Model. The BE Journal of Theoretical Economics, 11(1), 1-37.
  • Wolpert, D., Jamison, J., Newth, D., Harre, M. (2011). Strategic Choice of Preferences: The Persona Model. The BE Journal of Theoretical Economics, 11(1), 1-37.
  • Harre, M., Bossomaier, T., Gillett, A., Snyder, A. (2011). The Aggregate Complexity of Individual Decisions in the Game of Go. European Physical Journal B. Condensed Matter and Complex Systems, 80(4), 555 (1)-563 (9).
  • Harre, M., Bossomaier, T., Snyder, A. (2011). The Development of Human Expertise in a Complex Environment. Minds and Machines: journal for artificial intelligence, philosophy and cognitive sciences, 21(3), 449-464.
  • Harre, M., Bossomaier, T. (2010). Equity trees and graphs via information theory. European Physical Journal B. Condensed Matter and Complex Systems, 73(1), 59-68.
  • Bossomaier, T., Standish, R., Harre, M. (2010). Simulation of Trust in Client-Wealth Management Adviser Relationships. International Journal of Simulation and Process Modelling, 6(1), 40-49.
  • Bossomaier, T., Harre, M., Knittel, A., Snyder, A. (2009). A semantic network approach to the Creativity Quotient (CQ). Creativity Research Journal, 21(1), 64-71.
  • Harre, M., Bossomaier, T. (2009). Phase-transition–like behaviour of information measures in financial markets. Europhysics Letters: a letters journal exploring the frontiers of physics, 87(1), 18009-p1-18009-p5.

Conferences

  • Bossomaier, T., Harre, M. (2011). Global Context Influences Local Decisions. 3rd International Conference on Advanced Cognitive Technologies and Applications, COGNITIVE 2011, Rome, Italy: ThinkMind.
  • Snyder, A., Harre, M. (2011). Neural Networks for Opponent Modelling in Complex Contexts. IEEE Conference on Intelligent Computing and Intelligent Systems.
  • Snyder, A., Harre, M. (2011). Transitions in Learning about your Opponent. IEEE Conference on Intelligent Computing and Intelligent Systems.
  • Bossomaier, T., Harre, M., Jarratt, D. (2010). Evolutionary Dynamics of Business Networks. 2010 IEEE Congress on Evolutionary Computation (IEEE-CEC) - WCCI 2010, USA: (IEEE) Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
  • Harre, M., Bossomaier, T., Chu, R., Snyder, A. (2010). Strategic Information in the Game of Go. International Conference on Cognitive and Neural Systems Engineering, online: World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology (W A S E T).
  • Wilkinson, N., Bossomaier, T., Harre, M., Snyder, A. (2010). Strategic Planning in the Game of Go Using Coupled Non-Linear Oscillators. 19th European Conference on Artificial Intelligence ECAI 2010, Amsterdam: IOS Press.
  • Bossomaier, T., Standish, R., Harre, M. (2009). Visualisation of Client Networks from a Large Database. 13th International Conference Information Visualisation IV 2009, United States: (IEEE) Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
  • Carr, D., Harre, M. (2008). A Computer Game Portraying Special and General Relativity. 18th International Conference on General Relativity and Gravitation (GRG18) 2007, United Kingdom: Institute of Physics Publishing.
  • Harre, M., Bossomaier, T. (2007). What's non-linear in financial markets?. 16th IASTED International Conference on Applied Simulation and Modelling ASM 2007, Canada: ACTA Press.
  • Bossomaier, T., Knittel, A., Harre, M., Snyder, A. (2006). An Evolutionary Agent Approach to Dots-and-Boxes. 10th IASTED International Conference on Software Engineering and Applications SEA 2006, United States: ACTA Press.
  • Harre, M. (2006). Micro to Macro Game Theory in a Multi-Agent System. International Conference on Computational Intelligence for Modelling, Control and Automation CIMCA 2006, United States: (IEEE) Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
  • Knittel, A., Bossomaier, T., Harre, M., Snyder, A. (2006). Stochastic Reinforcement in Evolutionary Multi-Agent Game Playing of Dots-and-Boxes. International Conference on Computational Intelligence for Modelling, Control and Automation CIMCA 2006, United States: (IEEE) Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
  • Harre, M., Bossomaier, T. (2006). Thinking Outside the Box: A Multi-Agent Approach to Complex Games. 10th IASTED International Conference on Software Engineering and Applications SEA 2006, United States: ACTA Press.

Magazine / Newspaper Articles

  • Harre, M. (2012). Social Network Size Linked to Brain Size. Scientific American.

2013

  • Harre, M. (2013). A social network model for the development of a ‘Theory of Mind’. Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Online), 410, 1-4.
  • Harre, M. (2013). From Amateur to Professional: A Neuro-cognitive Model of Categories and Expert Development. Minds and Machines: journal for artificial intelligence, philosophy and cognitive sciences.
  • Bossomaier, T., Barnett, L., Harre, M. (2013). Information and phase transitions in socio-economic systems. Complex Adaptive Systems Modeling, 1(9).
  • Harre, M. (2013). Navigating catastrophes: Local but not global optimisation allows for macro-economic navigation of crises. Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Online), 410, 1-4.

2012

  • Wolpert, D., Harre, M., Olbrich, E., Bertschinger, N., Jost, J. (2012). Hysteresis effects of changing the parameters of noncooperative games. Physical Review E (Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics), 85(3), 1-12.
  • Harre, M., Snyder, A. (2012). Intuitive Expertise and Perceptual Templates. Minds and Machines: journal for artificial intelligence, philosophy and cognitive sciences, 22(3), 167-182.
  • Bossomaier, T., Harre, M., Thiruvarudchelvan, V. (2012). Seeing the Big Picture: Influence of Global Factors on Local Decisions. International Journal on Advances in Software, 5(1-2), 121-130.
  • Harre, M. (2012). Social Network Size Linked to Brain Size. Scientific American.
  • Harre, M., Bossomaier, T., Snyder, A. (2012). The Perceptual Cues that Reshape Expert Reasoning. Scientific Reports, 2, 1-9.

2011

  • Bossomaier, T., Harre, M. (2011). Global Context Influences Local Decisions. 3rd International Conference on Advanced Cognitive Technologies and Applications, COGNITIVE 2011, Rome, Italy: ThinkMind.
  • Snyder, A., Harre, M. (2011). Neural Networks for Opponent Modelling in Complex Contexts. IEEE Conference on Intelligent Computing and Intelligent Systems.
  • Wolpert, D., Jamison, J., Newth, D., Harre, M. (2011). Strategic Choice of Preferences: the Persona Model. The BE Journal of Theoretical Economics, 11(1), 1-37.
  • Wolpert, D., Jamison, J., Newth, D., Harre, M. (2011). Strategic Choice of Preferences: The Persona Model. The BE Journal of Theoretical Economics, 11(1), 1-37.
  • Harre, M., Bossomaier, T., Gillett, A., Snyder, A. (2011). The Aggregate Complexity of Individual Decisions in the Game of Go. European Physical Journal B. Condensed Matter and Complex Systems, 80(4), 555 (1)-563 (9).
  • Harre, M., Bossomaier, T., Snyder, A. (2011). The Development of Human Expertise in a Complex Environment. Minds and Machines: journal for artificial intelligence, philosophy and cognitive sciences, 21(3), 449-464.
  • Snyder, A., Harre, M. (2011). Transitions in Learning about your Opponent. IEEE Conference on Intelligent Computing and Intelligent Systems.

2010

  • Harre, M., Bossomaier, T. (2010). Equity trees and graphs via information theory. European Physical Journal B. Condensed Matter and Complex Systems, 73(1), 59-68.
  • Bossomaier, T., Harre, M., Jarratt, D. (2010). Evolutionary Dynamics of Business Networks. 2010 IEEE Congress on Evolutionary Computation (IEEE-CEC) - WCCI 2010, USA: (IEEE) Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
  • Bossomaier, T., Standish, R., Harre, M. (2010). Simulation of Trust in Client-Wealth Management Adviser Relationships. International Journal of Simulation and Process Modelling, 6(1), 40-49.
  • Harre, M., Bossomaier, T., Chu, R., Snyder, A. (2010). Strategic Information in the Game of Go. International Conference on Cognitive and Neural Systems Engineering, online: World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology (W A S E T).
  • Wilkinson, N., Bossomaier, T., Harre, M., Snyder, A. (2010). Strategic Planning in the Game of Go Using Coupled Non-Linear Oscillators. 19th European Conference on Artificial Intelligence ECAI 2010, Amsterdam: IOS Press.

2009

  • Bossomaier, T., Harre, M., Knittel, A., Snyder, A. (2009). A semantic network approach to the Creativity Quotient (CQ). Creativity Research Journal, 21(1), 64-71.
  • Bossomaier, T., Harre, M., Thompson, J. (2009). Evolution of Trust in Economic Systems. In Marisa Faggini, Thomas Lux (Eds.), Coping with the Complexity of Economics, (pp. 3-18). Italy: Springer.
  • Harre, M., Bossomaier, T. (2009). Phase-transition–like behaviour of information measures in financial markets. Europhysics Letters: a letters journal exploring the frontiers of physics, 87(1), 18009-p1-18009-p5.
  • Bossomaier, T., Standish, R., Harre, M. (2009). Visualisation of Client Networks from a Large Database. 13th International Conference Information Visualisation IV 2009, United States: (IEEE) Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

2008

  • Carr, D., Harre, M. (2008). A Computer Game Portraying Special and General Relativity. 18th International Conference on General Relativity and Gravitation (GRG18) 2007, United Kingdom: Institute of Physics Publishing.

2007

  • Harre, M., Bossomaier, T. (2007). What's non-linear in financial markets?. 16th IASTED International Conference on Applied Simulation and Modelling ASM 2007, Canada: ACTA Press.

2006

  • Bossomaier, T., Knittel, A., Harre, M., Snyder, A. (2006). An Evolutionary Agent Approach to Dots-and-Boxes. 10th IASTED International Conference on Software Engineering and Applications SEA 2006, United States: ACTA Press.
  • Harre, M. (2006). Micro to Macro Game Theory in a Multi-Agent System. International Conference on Computational Intelligence for Modelling, Control and Automation CIMCA 2006, United States: (IEEE) Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
  • Knittel, A., Bossomaier, T., Harre, M., Snyder, A. (2006). Stochastic Reinforcement in Evolutionary Multi-Agent Game Playing of Dots-and-Boxes. International Conference on Computational Intelligence for Modelling, Control and Automation CIMCA 2006, United States: (IEEE) Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
  • Harre, M., Bossomaier, T. (2006). Thinking Outside the Box: A Multi-Agent Approach to Complex Games. 10th IASTED International Conference on Software Engineering and Applications SEA 2006, United States: ACTA Press.
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