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来解决快速变化的复杂问题。目前解决这些情况的方法是开发量身定制的分布式协议，并通过经验测试进行验证。本项目通过开发基于热力学理论的这些问题的理论模型，增加了分布式问题解决技术的实际适用性。利用这个模型，协议的性能可以在以前未经测试的条件下进行预测，这是有史以来第一次。该理论模型通过广泛的实证评估得到验证，该项目开发了一种新的协议，该协议改变了其解决问题的策略，以最大限度地在基于环境动态的深思熟虑和被动决策之间进行权衡。该协议用于解决一个紧迫的实际问题：分配望远镜来跟踪低地球轨道（LEO）上的物体。由于我们几乎所有的载人航天任务和卫星都在近地轨道上，有效监测空间碎片对整个社会和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计算机科学学生的招聘和留住问题，特别是女性和少数族裔，通过Heartland游戏博览会和新的同伴外展计划（称为工程大使）来激发人们的兴趣。

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.