​The Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science (http://beyond.asu.edu) at Arizona State University invites applications for a postdoctoral research position in the physics of living systems. The project combines aspects of biophysics with information theory, and involves a collaboration with the Levin Lab at Tufts University. Members of the group include Paul Davies and Sara Imari Walker. ​A specific focus will be on the propagation and storage of biological information via patterns of electrical membrane potentials. The successful candidate will be expected to spend substantial amounts of time at Tufts University, for which travel funds are available. The projected start date is January 1, 2016. Applicants must have a PhD in a related field by the time of appointment. Ideal candidates will have a background in computational modeling of complex systems, information theory, and/or dynamical systems. Applicants should send a cover letter, curriculum vitae, a statement of research interests, and should arrange to have 3 letters of recommendation to be sent to Jeanette Perez at perezjr@asu.edu.  The applications deadline is November 30, 2015. Application materials should be in pdf format. Further inquiries should be emailed directly to Sara Imari Walker (sara.i.walker@asu.edu) or Paul Davies (paul.davies@asu.edu).


A background check is required for employment. Arizona State University is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor and an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.  All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. 

Emergence@ASU group members will be at the Conference on Complex Systems Sept. 28 - Oct. 2, 2015 in Tempe, AZ! Our group is hosting a Satellite Session on "The Origin of Life: A Problem for Complexity Science?" on Wed. Sept. 30th. The full schedule of talks for the satellite session is below (group members underlined). Other talks by group members at the meeting include:

Mon. 9/28 @ 5pm (Coronado Ballroom) - Alyssa Adams "Open-Ended Evolution in a Deterministic Cellular Automata Universe"

Fri. 10/2 @ 11:30pm (Coronado Ballroom) - Hyunju Kim "The Informational Architecture of Biological Networks"

Fri. 10/2 @ 11:45pm (Coronado Ballroom) - Sara Walker "Self-referencing dynamical systems"


Origin of Life: A Problem for Complexity Science Schedule

(Satellite Session at CCS’15 http://www.ccs2015.org) Sept 30, 2015, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm

8:30 am - Welcome: Life, Complexity and Physics
Paul Davies. Is Life A Cosmic Imperative?

9:00 am - 10:00 am -Part 1: Addressing Origin of Life as Problems for Complexity Science

Paul Cassell. Conceptual advances in origins of life research.
Michael Lachmann. Maybe we should apply biology to physics, not the other way round?

Coffee Break (10:20 am – 10:40 am)

10:40 am -  11:50 am - Part 2: Emergence of Living States from Evolution of Complexity

Cole Mathis. Emergence of Life As a First Order Phase Transition.
Eric Libby. Aggregative group formation in the transition to multicellularity.
Alyssa Adams. Implications of Open-Ended Evolution in a Deterministic Universe.

Lunch (12:10 pm – 1:10 pm)

1:10 pm - 2:00 pm - Part 3: Evolution of Metabolic Networks: from Organism to Community
Jason Raymond. On Metabolic Network Evolution.
Harrison Smith. The Evolution of Metabolic Communities: Computational Models and Empirical Results.

Coffee Break (2:20 pm – 2:40 pm)

2:40 pm 4:o0 pm- Part 4: Computation and Information of Biological Systems

James Crutchfield. Structural Thermodynamics of Agency.
David Wolpert. The free energy needed for computation: Implications for evolution.
Hyunju Kim. Bio from Bit: Information transfer distinguishes biological networks from random networks.

Closing: 4:20 pm - Origin of Life as Possible Answers for Complexity Science

Sara Walker. Towards a Mathematical Definition for the Transition from Non-Living to Living Matter.