Our name reflects the fact that complexity emerges from simplicity. Across nature, similar patterns and behaviours arise under vastly different conditions and scales. This recurring universality points to a small set of underlying principles shaping the complexity we see. We exist to uncover those principles through the lens of theoretical and experimental model systems that capture the transition from simple rules to rich, adaptive dynamics. Our logo reflects this philosophy. The initials SCL of the Simply Complex Lab are represented using mathematical symbols that capture key ideas in complexity science.

• S as ∮ : In physics and mathematics, this symbol represents integration around a closed loop. Such loops appear in many fundamental laws describing fields and flows. In complex systems, they naturally evoke feedback cycles and recurrent dynamics, mechanisms through which interactions amplify, regulate, or destabilise behaviour.
• C as ⊂ : Borrowed from set theory, the subset symbol represents collections of elements and their relationships. Complex systems are composed of many interacting components, such as particles, cells, organisms, or network nodes, whose collective behaviour gives rise to emergent phenomena.
• L as ℒ: The Lagrangian is a central concept in theoretical physics. From it, one can derive the equations governing a system’s motion. In this sense, it marks the step at which a description of components and interactions becomes a theory of dynamics.

Together, these symbols encode a simple progression: Components → Interactions → Laws, or, in the language of physics, Structure → Dynamics → Equations, which captures the essence of our approach.