Melanie Moses

Melanie Moses is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of New Mexico (UNM), with a secondary appointment in the Department of Biology. She is also External Faculty at the Santa Fe Institute, reflecting her highly interdisciplinary research approach. Her work bridges computer science, biology, and engineering, focusing on complex adaptive systems and biologically inspired computation.

Education:

• PhD in Biology, University of New Mexico, 2005
• BS in Symbolic Systems, Stanford University, 1993

Her research explores how natural systems such as ant colonies and immune systems can inform the design of efficient, robust, and scalable engineered systems. She leads the Moses Biological Computation Lab, where she develops computational models of biological processes and applies insights to swarm robotics and autonomous systems. Key research themes include computational immunology, swarm intelligence, and modeling of ecological and biological dynamics.

Although specific publications are not listed in the provided text, her research projects indicate strong activity in computational modeling, robotics, and interdisciplinary biological computing. These include VolCAN (bio-inspired volcano monitoring), SimReef (coral reef ecosystem modeling), SimCov (lung immune response simulation), MARIAM (multi-agent manipulation), and NASA’s Project ChiliHouse (autonomous plant cultivation for space missions). These projects span disciplines such as robotics, ecology, immunology, and space systems, indicating a broad impact across computer science and life sciences.

Scientific Leadership and Recognition:

• Co-director, UNM Program in Interdisciplinary Biological and Biomedical Sciences (PiBBs)
• Affiliated Faculty, UNM Spatio Temporal Modeling Center (STMC)
• External Faculty, Santa Fe Institute

Melanie Moses has been Principal Investigator on major initiatives to diversify computer science, including NM CSforAll and the NASA Swarmathon. These programs have trained over 3,000 students, 75% of whom are women and/or students of color, significantly advancing inclusion in STEM. She advises numerous students through her lab and educational programs, shaping the next generation of interdisciplinary scientists. Her grants and projects often involve collaboration across computer science, biology, mechanical engineering, and planetary sciences, reflecting a team-based, transdisciplinary approach.

She is actively leading research and educational efforts in autonomous systems, swarm robotics, and computational biology, with ongoing projects supported by NASA and other agencies. Her lab fosters innovation in both theoretical and applied domains, from modeling immune responses to designing robots for extraterrestrial agriculture.