Simon Garnier is an Assistant Professor in the Federated Department of Biological Sciences at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. There he is the head of the Swarm Lab, an interdisciplinary research lab that studies the mechanisms underlying Collective Behaviors and Swarm Intelligence in natural and artificial systems. His lab works toward ‘reverse engineering’ these mechanisms in systems as diverse as slime mold, ant colonies, goat and sheep herds, baboon troops, and human groups.
Simon’s goal is to understand the origin and development of these collective behaviors, to measure their efficiency and adaptability, and to determine the conditions of their success and failure. His work is also to translate these findings into the language of applied sciences, where they might serve to design new solutions to human-related and societal issues. Watch one of Simon’s videos here.