This $132,716 Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Mathematical and Physical Sciences (CFDA 47.049) program will support research to explore the collective motion of the nematode Turbatrix aceti. The project, led by the Principal Investigator at California State University, Fullerton, aims to: 1) investigate the synchronization mechanisms and dynamics of the nematodes' collective motion, 2) study their behavior in viscous and complex fluids, and 3) explore harnessing the nematodes' collective motion to produce fluid flows and displace objects. The research will employ advanced techniques like machine learning, optical flow analysis, and 3D printing. This award will enable undergraduate and graduate students from underrepresented backgrounds at the Hispanic-Serving Institution to participate in cutting-edge research on this novel form of active matter, with potential applications in robotic and fluidic systems. The project period runs from August 1, 2024 to July 31, 2027.
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