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Speaker: Anna Dornhaus, Professor, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, UofA
Title: Organizational strategies for collectives - optimization in complex systems and the biology of social insects
Abstract: In social insects like ants and bees, evolution works towards maximizing group-level performance by changing individual behavioral algorithms. My research focuses on the question of which individual algorithms generate what group performance, and how external environments, group size, and other factors affect the optimal individual behaviors. For example, how should individuals search the plane while minimizing distance moved as well as overlap with other group members? What is the best way for individuals to choose from several tasks to ensure that the group completes all task in dynamically changing environments? How should individuals exchange information to minimize effects of individual errors on the group? Understanding the relationship between individuals, groups, environments and social organization produces insights that are broadly applicable across complex systems.