Feedback is a fundamental concept in Natural and Engineered systems. Not only is it fundamental, it is pervasive. From the smallest scales inside... » More

Feedback is a fundamental concept in Natural and Engineered systems. Not only is it fundamental, it is pervasive. From the smallest scales inside cells to the largest scales of geo-spatial weather patterns; it keeps natural systems in balance and prevents any one aspect of a natural system from becoming problematic. Feedback also governs systems developed by humans. In engineered systems it is also pervasive. It provides the ability to continuously balance tradeoffs between competing objectives. Most of the current technological advances in society would not be possible without this concept. In this talk we will discuss this idea that, while fundamental and pervasive, is not usually well understood. We will illustrate several examples from the natural/biological world as well as from the engineered world. We will also indicate some of the subtleties that make it a rich field for study.

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