I am fascinated by systems in which local rules generate emergent patterns at a larger scale. As a member of the Couzin lab, I am studying the collective behavior of fish schools and baboon troops. I am particularly interested in how groups make collective decisions about when and where to move, how leadership is distributed within groups, and whether and how we can identify influential group members based on movement data. I use both experimental data and modeling to address these questions.
http://arianasp.com