NSF PostDoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology

____________________________________________________________________________This行动为2008财年美国国家科学基金会博士后研究奖学金提供资金。该奖学金支持一项名为？社会网络在收割机蚂蚁任务分配中的作用？诺亚·M·品特-沃尔曼。这项研究的主办机构是斯坦福大学，赞助科学家是黛博拉·M·戈登。生物系统通过系统不同组件之间的相互作用而自组织。这项研究考察了相互作用网络结构如何影响蚂蚁群体的组织。蚁群内的单个蚂蚁执行各种任务，如觅食、巡逻和修复巢穴，但每项任务的分配都是有组织的，没有中央控制。以前的研究表明，蚂蚁在任务决策中使用它最近的互动经验，以短暂的触角接触的形式。这项研究正在使用附着在每只蚂蚁上的微型射频识别(RFID)来跟踪实验室蚂蚁群体中蚂蚁相互作用的网络。实验和基于代理的计算机模拟被用来调查个人在网络中的角色。培训目标包括发展定量、计算和工程技能。一种新的跟踪技术的发展将提供一种独特的方法，可以在实验室和野外广泛应用于各种群居昆虫。这项研究的更广泛影响还将为指导本科生、与工程师和统计学家合作以及促进在生物学研究中使用定量和计算方法提供机会，这将扩大对社会昆虫的社会网络和自我组织的理解。

____________________________________________________________________________This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship for FY 2008. The fellowship supports a research and training plan entitled ? The role of social networks in task allocation of harvester ants? for Noa M. Pinter-Wollman. The host institution for this research is Stanford University and the sponsoring scientist is Deborah M. Gordon. Biological systems self-organize through the interactions between different components of the system. The research examines how the structure of interaction networks affects the organization of ant colonies. Individual ants within colonies perform various tasks, such as foraging, patrolling, and nest repair, but the assignment of each task is organized without central control. Previous work shows that an ant uses its recent experience of interactions, in the form of brief antennal contact, in task decisions. This research is tracking the network of ant interactions in laboratory colonies of harvester ants using tiny Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) attached to each ant. Experiments and agent-based computer simulations are being used to investigate the roles of individuals in the network. Training objectives include development of quantitative, computational, and engineering skills. The development of a novel tracking technique will provide a unique methodology that may be applied to a broad array of social insects both in the lab and field. The broader impacts of this research will also offer opportunities for mentoring undergraduates, collaborating with engineers and statisticians, and promoting the use of quantitative and computational methods in biological research that will broaden the understanding of social networks and self-organization in social insects.