Maury Bramson
Queueing networks occur in many settings, such as in communication networks (such as the internet) and manufacturing processes (such as the manufacture of semiconductor wafers). Mathematically, they can be modelled by random systems, where "jobs" or "customers" enter the system, move from one location to another (after being served), and eventually leaving the system. (Think of a customer moving through a bureaucratic maze.) One major question is when such a system is stable. In essence, this means that jobs are served quickly enough so that the total number of jobs in the system tends not to grow. The answer to this question is not clear and there are a number of surprising results.
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