The COmplex Systems Modeling & Optimization (COSMO) laboratory at Rutgers University is an interdisciplinary laboratory.  It was founded in August 2006 by Dr. W. Art Chaovalitwongse of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE). The aim of COSMO is to promote multidisciplinary research and applied research projects among academicians and practitioners from diverse domains including engineering, medicine, computer science, and business. It is aimed at stimulating increased awareness of  many real world problems related to the field of data mining, systems analysis, and optimization through publications, conferences, joint research, visitors, and student exchange. Lab affiliates include several faculty from ISE, Business School, Computer Science, Civil Engineering, Pharmacology, Biological Sciences, and Comprehensive Epilepsy Center from Rutgers University and other premier Institutions.

Individual and joint research includes data mining, statistical analysis, optimization, and systems modeling for real world problems (e.g., biology and medicine, logistics and supply chain,  telecommunication and networking, military applications and decision making). Lab sponsors include the National Science Foundation, DIMACS, and Rutgers Research Council.

The term "COSMO" itself means "universe" in Greek. The acronym of our laboratory's name fits very well with the theme and mission of the laboratory. We are truly a believer in rigorous scientific models of creation science, theistic evolution and naturalistic evolution. Every system in the universe can be modeled and optimized theoretically, physically, scientifically, mathematically, statistically,  quantitatively, biologically, psychologically, empirically!