My research group studies how physics informs the study of biomechanics, sensory ecology and animal behavior. Current projects include:
- Spotted lanternfly biomechanics (collaboration with Tonia Hsieh, Temple University, Biology): We are studying how these extraordinarily invasive insects recover from falling and being overturned, and their jumping behaviors using high-speed video, 3D tracking, mechanical modeling and simulations, and experiments on realistic 3D printed insect models.
- Pigmentation pattern formation (collaboration with Michael Ochs, The College of New Jersey Mathematics & Statistics) Computational models can now reproduce many biologically relevant patterns, including many aspects of animal pigmentation patterns. We are studying: 1) how to tackle the inverse problem — efficient methods for parameterizing the multiple nonlinear differential equations required to model a new pattern; 2) new methods for quantifying pigmentation patterns in a lower-dimensional pattern space to allow guided searches for solving this problem; and 3) interaction between morphology and pigmentation pattern formation.
- Multispectral imaging of flowers in bee vision (collaboration with Foen Peng, Haverford College, Biology): In a new project planned for Summer 2022, my group will work Dr. Peng as he studies how monkeyflowers (Mimulus) adapt to their animal pollinators, with the goal to understand the genetic/genomic changes underlying the floral variation in color, shape, and scent etc.
