Modeling flocks of birds and plagues of locusts  

Groups of animals display fascinating patterns of collective behavior. But how does group behavior emerge from the underlying actions of individuals and their interactions with one another? I will describe mathematical modeling research in my group that addresses such questions. 

What social forces makes for a cohesive flock of birds? Can we infer such rules from observing flocks in nature? I will describe a project carried out in downtown Vancouver (BC, Canada) were flocks of aquatic birds (surf scoters) "cooperated" to help us understand their spacing behaviors.

Of practical importance is the swarming of locusts, which causes huge economic and social burden in North Africa and Israel. I will describe joint with Andy Bernoff (Harvey Mudd) and Chad Topaz (Williams College) on models of locust swarms and hopper bands.