CAREER: Problem Solving in Dynamic, Distributed Environments

计算机越来越多地用于监控和管理我们日常生活的许多方面。 这些系统通常需要协同工作，以解决快速变化的复杂问题。 目前的方法来解决这些情况下开发定制的分布式协议，通过实证测试验证。 本项目通过开发基于热力学理论的这些问题的理论模型来增加分布式问题解决技术的实用性。 使用这个模型，一个协议的性能可以，有史以来第一次，在以前未经测试的conditions.This理论模型进行了验证，通过广泛的实证评估和这个项目开发了一个新的协议，改变其解决问题的策略，以最大限度地权衡深思熟虑和反应性决策的基础上环境动态。 该协议适用于解决一个紧迫的实际问题：分配望远镜跟踪低地球轨道（LEO）的对象。由于几乎所有的载人航天任务和卫星都在低地球轨道上，有效地监测空间碎片对整个社会和沿着许多方向的科学进步具有广泛的影响。这项变革性的研究结合了人工智能，分布式系统和统计物理学的跨学科思想。 该项目的教育举措直接解决了学生的招聘和保留问题，特别是关注妇女和少数民族，通过中心地带游戏博览会和利用新的同行推广计划（称为工程大使）产生兴奋，进入计算机科学。

Computers are increasingly used to monitor and manage many aspects of our daily lives. These systems are often required to work together to solve complex problems that are rapidly changing. Current approaches to addressing these situations develop tailored distributed protocols that are verified through empirical testing. This project increases the practical applicability of distributed problem solving techniques by developing a theoretical model of these problems based on thermodynamic theory. Using this model, a protocol's performance can, for the first time ever, be predicted under previously untested conditions.This theoretical model is validated through extensive empirical evaluation and this project develops a new protocol that alters its problem solving strategy to maximize the trade-off between deliberate and reactive decision making based on environmental dynamics. This protocol is applied to address a pressing practical problem: allocating telescopes for tracking objects in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). With nearly all of our manned space missions and satellites in LEO, effectively monitoring space debris has broad implications to society at large and scientific progress along numerous directions.This transformative research combines cross-disciplinary ideas from artificial intelligence, distributed systems, and statistical physics. The educational initiatives in this project directly address the recruitment and retention of students, especially focusing on women and minorities, into Computer Science by generating excitement through the Heartland Gaming Expo and by utilizing a new peer outreach program, called Engineering Ambassadors.