Professor of Computer Science and Associate Professor of Biology, University of New Mexico
We live in a complex world. From the spread of disease in increasingly interconnected human populations to the impact of fossil-fueled economies on global climate, the greatest challenges in modern science and engineering require understanding complex systems, what makes them efficient and resilient, and why they fail. My lab studies complex biological systems including the adaptive immune system and ant colonies. I use this understanding to design efficient, robust, adaptive and scalable engineered systems, including autonomous robots that mimic ant behaviors to collect resources cooperatively.