Social insects as models of collective intelligence

Title of Project

Social insects as models of collective intelligence

Name of Advisor/s

Prof Simon Robson

College

College of Science & Engineering

Summary of Project

Social insect group are comprise of numerous relatively simple individuals. Yet when acting together, these individuals display an emergent collective intelligence, where the decision-making capacity of the group far exceeds that of the individual. Using the green weaving ant as a study system, you will explore the basis of this behavioural complexity, a models for the development of collective intelligence, robotics and other information systems.

Key Words

social insects, entomology, behaviour, collective decision making, complexity

Would suit an applicant who

enjoys looking at the bigger picture, enjoys a combination of field, laboratory and computer work