Theory of Computation as an Enabling Tool for the Sciences

Abstract

Researchers in the theory of computation are increasingly adopting a computational worldview that is radiating out to a wide circle of scientific and technological fields, recognizing that central phenomena of these fields are often computational in nature. Over the past decade we have applied this viewpoint to physics, molecular biology and economics. Connections are also developing to evolutionary biology, machine learning, social choice, social network analysis, nanotechnology, cognitive science and astronomy. To maximize the effectiveness of this outreach to the sciences, the theory of computation must join forces with the fields of massive data analysis and combinatorial optimization.