In this podcast episode’s in-depth discussion, Fulton Schools Assistant Professor Ted Pavlic, associate director of research for The Biomimicry Center at ASU, describes his research on natural systems, such as social insect colonies, and how these explorations can lead to development of engineering solutions. He discusses, for instance, what a deep understanding of large-scale patterns in nature can teach us that might point the way to dealing with large-scale biological dysfunctions like cancer and neurological injuries. Pavlic also elaborates on what mathematical models of fundamental decision-making processes have in common with both natural and engineered systems, and how the various kinds of engineering problems on which his work focuses can in turn give rise to meaningful new lines of scientific inquiry about biological systems.