BID4R lab Principal Investigator Dr. Bryan Watson was recently featured as a guest on the INCOSE Podcast, where he discussed his path from the Nuclear Navy to leading the lab’s research in biologically inspired resilience.
Drawing on his eight years as a submarine officer, Dr. Watson shared how operating complex systems at sea shaped his understanding of socio-technical resilience, where the interaction between people and technology is just as critical as the hardware itself.
The conversation also highlighted the core of BID4R’s work. Dr. Watson explained how functional abstraction allows the lab to translate survival behaviors found in nature, such as communication between Amazon River turtle eggs and task reallocation in ant colonies, into robust algorithms for drone swarms and supply chains.
As Chair of the INCOSE Technical Program Committee, Dr. Watson also offered a preview of IS 2027 in Washington, D.C., including a new $99 Student Access-Only Registration Tier. The tier offers 150 seats to INCOSE student members, awarded by lottery. Eligible students can enter here.
The episode is available wherever you get your podcasts.
