CoCo Seminar: "Artificial Life in the Wet Lab" by Jitka Čejková (University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Czech Republic / Fulbright Visiting Scholar, Binghamton University)

CoCo Seminar Series
Fall 2026

Artificial Life in the Wet Lab

Dr. Jitka Čejková
Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Czech Republic / Fulbright Visiting Scholar, Binghamton University

Wednesday September 16, 2026 12:15-1:15pm EDT
Hybrid (EB-T1 & Zoom; meeting link below)
https://binghamton.zoom.us/j/99734015321?pwd=EdzB2HpxpCOyEYnOF2AqTmyweQMdHd.1

Abstract:
In my talk, I will explore whether simple chemical systems can behave like living organisms. I will focus on experimental systems that exhibit life-like features such as movement, interaction, growth, adaptation, and collective behavior. Using examples including active droplets, chemical gardens, and pattern-forming systems, I will show how simple chemistry can generate surprisingly complex and dynamic structures. These experiments provide a way to explore emergence, self-organization, and the fascinating boundary between living and non-living matter.

Speaker bio:
Jitka Čejková is an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Czech Republic. Her research focuses on wet artificial life and experimental approaches to life-like systems. She is also the editor of R.U.R. and the Vision of Artificial Life, a book exploring Karel Čapek’s legacy and the concept of artificial life. She is currently a Fulbright Fellow at Binghamton University (SUNY), New York.

For more information, contact Carlos Gershenson (cgg@binghamton.edu).
http://coco.binghamton.edu/

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