Bio

Professor, Department of Computer Science and Department of Mechanical Engineering.  Affiliated Faculty, Department of Mathematics.  Director, Computational Science and Engineering Graduate Emphasis.  Director, Summer Applied Biotechnologies Research Experience (SABRE) of the Institute for Collaborative Biotechnologies.

Research

My research is focused on modeling, analysis, simulation and software, applied to multiscale, networked systems in biology, materials and social networks.   My research group has been developing advanced algorithms for discrete stochastic simulation of systems where the fate of a few key molecules can make a big difference to important outcomes.  We engage with experimentalists through the analysis of data and the development of mathematical models that yield insight and suggest new directions for research.  Current collaborations range from biology(circadian rhythm (jet lag), and cell polarization), to medicine (coagulopathy and post-traumatic stress disorder), to ecology (chytrid disease in frogs), to social networks  (sentiment analysis and opinion dynamics).  We are collaborating with Prof. Chandra Krintz on the development of an integrated, cloud-based environment called Stochastic Simulation Service (StochSS) for modeling and simulation of biological processes.

Honors and Awards

• Member of the US National Academy of Engineering and Fellow of ACM, ASME, SIAM and AAAS
• UCSB Faculty Research Lecturer 2011
• Wilkinson Prize for Numerical Software 1991
• Dahlquist Prize 1999
• SIAM/ACM Prize for Computational Science and Engineering 2013.