Work on problem from top-down and bottom up at same time. Work on small problems, how information propagates through interesting but tractable systems. Creation of a hierarchy of resources. What are the trade-offs; what do five extra electrons buy you? Nature seems to be doing its own computation: how does this work, and on a deep philosophical level deciding on what is really computation.
Launch both top-down and bottom up this summer. Categorize the computation which different things can do. Build a computation tool-kit of physical systems.