Beyond flocking and schooling: alternative swarming architectures in biological and engineered emergence (as a BEE)

The Department of the Navy's Office of Naval Research awarded Oklahoma State University $245,723 on July 1, 2026, under the Basic and Applied Scientific Research program (CFDA 12.300) for "Beyond Flocking and Schooling: Alternative Swarming Architectures in Biological and Engineered Emergence (AS A BEE)," a project grant focused on developing novel swarming architectures with potential applications to naval operations.

The award supports research into alternative approaches to collective behavior in biological systems and engineered systems, moving beyond traditional flocking and schooling models to explore emergent behavior patterns relevant to swarm technologies. Work is performed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, with a period of performance from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2029.

The Basic and Applied Scientific Research program supports research at educational institutions, nonprofits, and research organizations with potential to improve naval operations. Awards are made through competitive peer and scientific review based on scientific merit, naval relevance, offeror capabilities and facilities, qualifications of key personnel including the Principal Investigator, and cost realism.