The Bio/computational Evolution in Action CONsortium (BEACON) is a Science and Technology Center (STC) that enables research on evolutionary dynamics in natural and artificial systems and training of multi-disciplinary scientists in bio/computation, with a unique focus on the intersection of evolutionary biology, computer science, and engineering. The Center will enhance the development of applications of computational methods in biology, the use of artificial intelligence in computer science, and the enhancement of genetic algorithms in engineering design. Evolution by natural selection defines an algorithmic approach to finding solutions for complex problems; computer scientists and engineers have harnessed similar algorithms to a diversity of challenges that require optimization over multiple competing dimensions. Likewise, biologists have begun to employ digital modeling of the evolutionary process to examine evolution of complex biological structures and patterns in areas such as paleontology and the gene networks, which defy experimental manipulation in vivo. The Center will promote these interdisciplinary efforts by coordinating activities through three thrust groups: (1) Evolution of Genomes, Networks, and Evolvability, (2) Evolution of Behavior and Intelligence, and (3) Evolution of Communities and Collective Dynamics.
This center has the potential to transform both biology and computational sciences by developing digital experiments to test and apply fundamental principles of evolutionary biology. The possible impacts will be far reaching: from cyber-security to everyday computing applications, from the evolution of disease resistance to the self-organization of social behavior. The BEACON center will train the next generation of interdisciplinary scientists and educate the public about evolution and its role in solving real-world problems through significant educational outreach for K12 students and science museums.
