John H Holland

Professor, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, ComputerScience/Engineering/Psychology John H. Holland is professor of computer science and engineering and professor of psychology at the University of Michigan; he is also external professor and member of the executive committee of the board of trustees at the Santa Fe Institute. Professor Holland was made a MacArthur fellow in 1992 and is a fellow of the World Economic Forum. He serves on the Advisory Board on Complexity at the McDonnell Foundation. Professor Holland has been interested for more than 40 years in what are now called complex adaptive systems (CAS). He formulated genetic algorithms, classifier systems, and the Echo models as tools for studying the dynamics of such systems. His books Hidden Order (1995) and Emergence (1998) summarize many of his thoughts about complex adaptive systems. He is survived by his sister Shirley Ringgenberg, daughters Gretchen (Dave) Sleamon, Alison (Steve) Butler, Manja (Kevin Thompson) Holland, and four grandchildren: Olivia and Claire Sleamon, Sydney Butler, and Nels Thompson.