My research interests lie at the interface of biological physics, soft condensed matter physics and statistical physics. My research projects have included studies of the biomechanics of spotted lanternflies (a major invasive species in our geographic area), using physics to understand the biomechanics and visual signals of peacock mating displays, how animals use visual guidance during predator pursuit and prey evasion, computer modeling of bacterial diversity in ecosystems, and biologically-inspired nanostructures. My students and I approach these problems using a combination of experimental techniques, including high-speed and stereometric 3D video, bioacoustics and computational modeling. Before coming to Haverford, I focused on using scattering techniques (x-ray and optical) in the study of biological membranes and low-dimensional soft matter systems.
