Can ants help predict the complex dynamics of future humanitarian crises, such as when and where large populations might move during disease outbreaks or armed conflicts?

It’s a question that has been posed by Simon Garnier, assistant professor of biological sciences at NJIT, who recently joined the exclusive company of up-and-coming researchers in the nation with a prestigious 2019 Young Faculty Award from the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). 

Ants. Sure, most are harmless and inconspicuous. Though, there are always exceptions.

Army ants, bulldog ants and fire ants are a few living members of the family Formicidae that nature television viewers might recognize from any number of “World’s Deadliest” countdown shows that populate the airwaves these days. 

As lead engineer of a self-driving car project, you are tasked with teaching the AI to drive. You realize that the AI may have to make a decision between putting the car’s occupants at risk or prioritizing the safety of those outside the car. What do you do? 

The above scenario, adapted from a real-life case, is part of a game called “Apperception”, a smartphone-based educational game developed by a team of ethics researchers led by Britt Holbrook, assistant professor of philosophy at NJIT. 

This month, the annual celebration for International Women’s Day came with a new campaign theme, “Balance for Better.” That message was in full voice last week at NJIT, as more than 200 young girls from New Jersey’s schools visited campus to learn about and showcase their abilities in all-things science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) for national Pi Day.

This month, NJIT officially commemorated the start of “New Jersey STEM Month” — a  celebration supported by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy to “highlight the Garden State’s strong presence and accomplishments in science, technology, engineering and math.”