Mathematics of Cooperation
Martin Nowak
Harvard University
Professor of Mathematics and Biology
Program in Evolutionary Dynamics
Mon, Feb. 11, 5:30pm, Science Center Hall D
Talk for a general audience; no math background required
Video of talk posted here: HTML5 Video MP4
Tue, Feb. 12, 6:00pm, Science Center 507
Talk for undergraduate mathematics concentrators; dinner afterwards
Abstract: Cooperation means that one individual pays a cost for another to receive a benefit. Cooperation can be at variance with natural selection: Why should you help a competitor? Yet cooperation is abundant in nature and is an important component of evolutionary innovation. Cooperation can be seen as the master architect of evolution and as the third fundamental principle of evolution beside mutation and selection. I will present mathematical principles of cooperation.
Speaker Bio: Martin Nowak is Professor of Mathematics and of Biology at Harvard University. He is Director of the Program for Evolutionary Dynamics. Nowak studied Biochemistry and Mathematics at the University of Vienna. Later he worked at the University of Oxford and at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. He is the author of over 450 scientific papers and 4 books including "SuperCooperators" and "Evolutionary Dynamics".