Research

My research lies at the intersection of applied mathematics, biology, and neuroscience. I use dynamical systems, stochastic processes, network theory, and Bayesian and computational methods to study collective behavior, biological information processing, and decision-making under uncertainty.

Current projects in my group include:

• Designing and modeling synthetic bacterial consortia for multicellularity, intercellular signaling, and parallel biocomputing.
• Inferring gene-regulatory networks and estimating parameters in stochastic, delayed, and non-autonomous biochemical systems.
• Understanding how network architecture, higher-order connectivity, and correlated activity shape neural dynamics and computation.
• Developing mathematical and computational approaches to connectomics and the organization of neural circuits.
• Studying information-seeking, sequential, and collective decisions in dynamic and uncertain environments, including social networks and decentralized foraging groups.
• Investigating how recurrent neural networks represent time, decisions, and changing task demands.

Joining My Research Group

If you are interested in joining my research group, please read the following: Guide for prospective mentees.

Selected Research Coverage

• Can leaderless societies get stuff done? Ask the honeybees
• Speed of decision-making reflects our biases
• Those with the biggest biases choose first, according to new math study
• Mathematics Professor Teaming Up with Biologists to Model Bacterial Divisions
• How Laggards Help Decision-Making
• Synthetic cells make long-distance calls