EXC 2117:  Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour

• Subject Area: Zoology ; Computer Science ; Psychology ; Economics
• Term: since 2019
• Website: Homepage
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 390829875

The behaviour of collectives can be striking and captivating. But what are the mechanisms that lead to the seemingly coordinated movements of flocking birds, the division of labour in social insects, or the emergence of fashions and fads in humans? Capitalising on comprehensive multidisciplinary expertise, institutional build-up, and a unique infrastructure, the University of Konstanz and the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology (MPIO) are joining forces to create the Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour. Its mission will be to increase our understanding of collective phenomena through theoretically informed yet highly quantitative approaches in a vibrant and globally attractive hotspot for research.Data-oriented research on collective behaviour requires the study of dynamic, multi-scale and interdependent feedback processes: individual behaviour influences higher-order collective properties (through multilayer networks of interaction), which then influence the behaviour of other individuals, which in turn affects collective properties, and so on. Simultaneously, it must account for heterogeneity in the actions, traits, and states of individuals as well as changing conditions in their physical and social environments. By bringing together expertise in biology, social psychology, behavioural economics, physics, and computer science, we will develop experimental approaches that will take these complexities into account in order to create a coherent understanding of collectives. Not only will our synergies provide fresh inspiration to the study of collective behaviour, they will also enrich the contributing disciplines at the same time. Cutting-edge imaging and tracking technology - including the space-borne ICARUS system, and a forthcoming research building with unique facilities - will enable detailed observation in the wild as well as controlled experiments in virtual environments. Together, this will allow us to address fundamental questions regarding a wide range of species, from insects to humans, and over multiple scales, from neural mechanisms via individual perception and preferences to collective outcomes in groups or entire societies.Developing an understanding of and, in some cases, governing collective behaviour is essential for progress in many natural, social, and technological domains. The insights and paradigms generated by our quantitative studies will have implications that range from the fundamental through to the practical. Controlling pest insect swarms, curbing disease transmission, sensing speculative bubbles, incentivising cooperation, and the decentralised control of robot swarms and drones are but a few examples. The captivating dynamic and visual nature of collective behaviour will furthermore give us a distinctive opportunity to engage students and the public in the science behind the complex patterns that interacting individuals create.

• DFG Programme: Clusters of Excellence (ExStra)
• Applicant Institution: Universität Konstanz
• Participating Institution: Max-Planck-Institut für Ornithologie ; Außenstelle Vogelwarte Radolfzell (aufgelöst)
• Spokespersons: Professor Iain Couzin, Ph.D.; Professor Dr. Oliver Deussen; Professor Dr. Urs Fischbacher, until 3/2021; Professor Dr. Wolfgang Gaissmaier, from 3/2021 until 11/2023; Professorin Dr. Britta Renner, since 12/2023
• Participating Researchers: Dr. Lucy Aplin; Professor Dr. Clemens Bechinger; Professor Dr. Michael R. Berthold; Einat Couzin-Fuchs, Ph.D.; Privatdozentin Dr. Dina Dechmann; Dr. Damien Farine; Professor Dr. Giovanni Galizia; Professor Dr. Bastian Goldlücke; Professorin Dr. Susanne Goldlücke; Professor Dr. Marcus Groettrup (†); Professor Dr. Michael Grossniklaus; Professor Dr. Thomas Hinz; Professor Dr. Daniel Keim; Professorin Tatjana Petrov, Ph.D.; Professor Dr. Winfried Franz Xaver Pohlmeier; Professor Dr. Jens Pruessner; Professor Dr. Harald Schupp; Dr. Ariana Strandburg-Peshkin; Professor Dr. Martin Wikelski; Professorin Dr. Petra Wirtz