Dr. Charles Ofria Computer Science and Engineering Engineering Building Michigan State University East Lansing, MI 48824 ofria@msu.edu My research focuses on the interplay between computer science and Darwinian evolution, using the principles of each field to enhance our understanding of the other. I am currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering and the director of the Digital Evolution Lab (Devolab) here at Michigan State University. See my lab web pages and the links below to learn more about my research and interests.

Are you a prospective student or postdoc? Click HERE. Are you looking for a reference letter from me? Click HERE. My career, in brief: I am currently at Michigan State University as an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering and the Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior Program where I have been since July of 2002. I am also the director of the Digital Evolution Lab and deputy director of the BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action. Previously, I was a research assistant professor in the Center for Microbial Ecology for three years. I also helped to found the Center for Biological Modeling which has given rise to the Quantitative Biology and Modeling Initiative. I did my PhD in the Computation and Neural Systems program at the California Institute of Technology in the labs of Dr. Chris Adami as part of the Digital Life Lab and Dr. Alan Barr in the Caltech Graphics Group. My main collaborators here at MSU include Richard Lenski, Phil McKinley, Betty Cheng, Rob Pennock, Erik Goodman, Tom Schmidt, and Eric Torng. Here are some articles about my work: Testing Darwin : text only or large pdf (Feb 2005 Cover Story in Discover Magazine) Digital Darwin (from Slashdot) The origin of artificial species... (from the Daily Telegraph) Virtual Life-Forms Mutate, Shedding Light on Evolution (from National Geographic) Simulated evolution gets complex (from Technology Research News) Cyber-life obeys Darwinian theory (from MSNBC) Evolution was, and is, a great notion (From the Boston Globe) 'Digital organisms' illuminate evolution (from the New Scientist) Virtual natural selection (from the BBC) Sturdy digital bugs capture Microsoft's attention" (from CNN Interactive). "Digital Evolution Enters Debate" (from Wired news). Evolving Digitally Into Respectability (from the New York Times)

Phone: (517) 355-8389 E-Mail: ofria@msu.edu