Speaker:
Dr Gabriel Ramos Fernández, Institute of Applied Mathematics and Systems Research (IIMAS), National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)
Dr Gabriel Ramos Fernández holds a degree in Basic Biomedical Research from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and a PhD in Biology from the University of Pennsylvania, United States. He is currently a Senior Researcher (Level B) at the Institute of Applied Mathematics and Systems Research (IIMAS) at UNAM and a Global Fellow at the Centre for Diverse Intelligences at the University of St Andrews, United Kingdom.
He is a member of Mexico’s National System of Researchers (SNI), holding Level III distinction, and has been recognised as a National Geographic Explorer. His research focuses on social complexity, studying how organised structures emerge from simple interaction patterns within animal groups—particularly non-human primates—and among human groups collaborating on collective tasks.
His interdisciplinary approach combines biology, mathematics, social sciences, and computing, using tools such as social network analysis, mathematical modelling, and computational simulation. In addition, his research has had practical applications in biodiversity conservation, particularly in the establishment of protected areas in the Yucatán Peninsula.
In the academic sphere, he has also supervised undergraduate and postgraduate students and teaches courses on social network analysis.
Abstract:
This online seminar explores the concept of collective intelligence through the study of spider monkey behaviour and agent-based computational models. Dr Gabriel Ramos Fernández will explain how collaboration among individuals can generate complex and efficient solutions, and what animal social systems can teach us about teamwork and problem-solving.