[1][2][3][4] His specific research interests include the emergence, evolution, and stability of complex social and biological systems.

He was a postdoctoral researcher at Forschungszentrum Jülich, MIT, Boston University, and Harvard Medical School.

[8] He also serves as the graduate program director at the Department of Chemical Engineering at Northwestern University.

[9] Amaral is the co-founder and scientific advisor of Chimu Solutions, Inc.[10] The company's main product, Footballrrating.com, tracks the performance of soccer teams and individual players.

Professor Amaral currently lives in the city of Evanston with his wife and his two sons, Jordi and Ferran.