Dr Matishalin Patel

I am a Lecturer in Data Science, AI and Modelling at the University of Hull. My research is primarily on the interface between mathematical and computational modelling and evolutionary theory. I work on the evolution of symbiosis and the maintenance of cooperation between species. I am also developing tools to understand evolution using artificial life simulations.

I was previously a Researcher at the Centre for the Future of Intelligence as part of the Kinds of Intelligence project and the Animal-AI Olympics group. I continue to work on applying evolutionary theory to understanding the evolution of intelligence in the natural world and applying those insights to developing animal-like artificial intelligences.

I was previously a Research Associate with Prof. Rufus Johnstone at the University of Cambridge. Where I worked on working on models for intergroup conflict in Banded Mongooses. My DPhil was undertaken at Oxford University at the West Group. My thesis focused on social evolutionary theory of altruistic and spiteful traits.

I am especially interested in how Deep Learning algorithms can be used as a study system for evolutionary theory as well as a computational tool for biology. My current focus in this area is on Reinforcement Learning and NEAT and hyperNEAT implementations of architecture search.