We live in a complex world. Many of the greatest challenges in science and engineering require understanding how complex systems evolve, what makes them efficient, scalable and robust, and why they fail. Our highly interdisciplinary research in the Moses Biological Computation lab seeks to understand complexity in natural and engineered systems: we develop computational and mathematical models of biological systems (particularly ant colonies and immune systems) and we apply what we learn in biologically-inspired computation (particularly swarm robotics).
I am the PI of two programs that seek to diversify computer science, NM CSforAll and the NASA Swarmathon. Combined, these two programs have trained over 3000 students, 75% of them women and/or students of color. These students have been historically underrepresented in STEM, particularly in Computer Science. Our team is changing that NOW!
NASA Swarmathon is a Swarm Robotics challenge in which students from Minority Serving Institutions develop algorithms for cooperative robotics to revolutionize space exploration. NM CSforAll teaches programming through scientific modeling to college students as well as high school teachers and their students. High school students can take CSforAll for UNM dual credit. CSforAll is the only computer science course that satisfies one of UNM’s natural science core requirements.I am a Professor in UNM Computer Science with a secondary appointment in the UNM Department of Biology and am External Faculty of The Santa Fe Institute.
Contact me to join NM CSforAll or #Swarmathon2018!
