Welcome to My Website
Here you will be able to learn about my research interests, download some of my publications and look at my brief CV.
If you are agent-technology enthusiast and find my approach to agent-based software of interest let us talk about the subject; if we like each other we may even start working together. There are always opportunities for joint research or development projects or for PhD studies.
If you want to know about my recent entrepreneurial activity, how I founded a multi-agent technology company, which now has staff of 120 and supplies software to customers in the USA, China, Russia and UK, please click on Software Development.
I would be particularly pleased if you came for advice or in search of a consultant. See what I accomplished in the past by clicking on Consulting, look up the section on my Projects and get in touch by phone or email. I undertake consulting projects through Rzevski Solutions Ltd.
Living with Complexity
As evolution of our Universe takes its course, the ecological, social, political, cultural and economic environments within which we live and work increase in complexity. The change became particularly noticeable since we began a transition from nation-centred industrial economies to the information-based global economy. A considerable part of the globe is now interconnected by the Internet, information flows rapidly and trading in services, and in particular, in knowledge-based services, gradually replaces trading in goods as the main source of wealth
I use the word Complexity here as a scientific term denoting a perpetually changing situation characterised by a large number of different autonomous elements engaged in rich interaction; such as global market consisting of a vast number of suppliers and consumers rapidly matching supply to demand and then, as rapidly, changing previously agreed matches, each player trying to increase his/her gain.
To survive and prosper in the complex world the participants must learn the skills of Adaptation and Resilience. They must react rapidly to unexpected events and reorganise their activities with the aim of taking advantage of new opportunities and protecting themselves from new threats. Cooperation with peers is often a good option. The best part of being adaptable and resilient is that it makes working at the edge of chaos highly enjoyable.... read more
Events and People
2006 | The opening of “The George Rzevski Complexity Laboratory”
On the 17th of November 2006 The Open University opened a new research laboratory and honoured me by naming it “The George Rzevski Complexity Laboratory”. A ribbon was cut, there were speeches, discussions on the theme of Complexity and a lunch party. The laboratory is well equipped for the Internet-based interactive research and is a home to a robot football team.
1999 | Founding Magenta Technology
In November 1999 I founded Magenta Corporation Ltd with headquarters in London and software development in Samara. Petr Skobelev, a co-founder, undertook to direct a team of talented young Russian programmers. Udo introduced Magenta to Volkswagen and a year later to CargoLifter. Two exciting projects followed.
In 2003 Magenta delivered the first version of the first ever multi-agent scheduler for transportation of oil by very large tankers. The scheduler is aimed at managing 10% of the world total tanker capacity.
1999 | First Volga river conference on complexity
In June 1999 Vladimir Vittikh organised the first of a long series of annual conferences on Complexity Management and invited me to deliver keynote addresses each year on a different topic related to Complexity and Agent Technology. The venue is a passenger boat travelling along Volga river starting and finishing journeys at the Samara port. The Conference quickly established itself as the key forum in Russia for discussing Complexity; and Volga is magnificent.
1998 | Retiring from the full-time academic work
In December 1998 I retired from the full-time academic career but continued research as Professor Emeritus at the OU, and Visiting Professor at a number of universities in the UK, Russia, Germany and China.
1997 | Joining GLORI
In 1997 I was invited by Udo Inden to join GLORI, Global Logistics Research Initiative; my role was to introduce Agent Technology into logistics research. I have continued to work with Udo and we still have joint projects. While driving across Germany on autobahns and drinking Koelsch and admiring slow and mighty Rhine, we engage in endless discussions how to understand and improve the human condition. Udo helped me to love Germany and to improve my understanding of Complexity.
1990 | Beginning long-term cooperation with Russian researchers
In 1990 I was invited by the Russian Academy of Sciences to give a series of lectures on Agent Technology to researchers of an advanced research institute in Samara. This was my first visit to the country of my ancestors. There I met many wonderful people who helped me to re-establish a relationship with Russia and two of them, Vladimir Vittikh and Petr Skobelev, in addition to becoming my close friends, have played important roles in my professional life.
1989 | Joining the Open University
In 1989 I joined Design and Innovation Department at the Open University where I founded Centre for the Design of Intelligent Systems. There I met Jeff Johnson, soon Anthony joined us, and our first project was the development of an advanced course in Intelligent Mechatronics in which every student was given a personal intelligent robot to conduct experiments with a view to improving upon robot intelligence.
Falling in love with complexity and agents
I began my research into Complexity and Agent Technology in the early 80s when still with Kingston University. My first PhD student in multi-agent systems was Anthony Lucas-Smith; he became my colleague and a life-long friend.
