Computer simulations have revolutionised the sciences. Their impact left a mark in nearly every possible field of study – from microbiology, to climate research, and even astrophysics.

What new kinds of knowledge arise through computer simulations? How do they change our understanding of the sciences?

At the Institute of Advanced Study on Media Cultures of Computer Simulation (MECS), funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), we set out to find answers to these broad questions. We seek to accomplish this in diverse ways: by analysing historical and contemporary case studies , by building an interdisciplinary network of international fellows , and by organising trans-disciplinary lectures, workshops, and conferences .

In an age of computer simulations, MECS is one of the few institutions worldwide specifically focused on understanding their wide-ranging impacts.