MIT's Theory of Distributed Systems research group studies theoretical aspects of distributed and concurrent systems. Recent work has focused on dynamic systems, in which the system configuration changes over time, and in particular on wireless network algorithms. We are also interested in distributed algorithms that are derived from biological systems, including insect colonies, developing embryos, and brains.

The work has a theoretical flavor, but at the same time, is closely related to practice. We hope for results that are both mathematically elegant and significant in practice.

Our work on wireless network algorithms ranges from low-level algorithms for wireless communication, to intermediate-level algorithms that solve global problems such as building network structures, to high-level algorithms for applications such as data management and robot coordination. In addition to studying (many) individual problems and algorithms, we are interested in ways of combining algorithms at different levels to construct an integrated, top-to-bottom theory for wireless network algorithms. This also involves some fundamental work on concurrency theory foundations.