I am currently a third year graduate student in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Ph.D. Program at The University of California, Irvine. As an undergraduate student at UC Berkeley I studied the mechanics of lobster olfaction with Dr. Sheila Patek. At UC Irvine I am continuing my work on the biomechanics of aquatic sensory systems under Dr. Matthew McHenry.

I am interested in understanding how the physical properties of fluids influence sensory systems in aquatic environments. Specifically I am looking at how the morphological characteristics of aquatic organisms affect the local flow regimes at the locations of sensory reception. Currently my model system is the lateral line in Zebrafish. I am interested in how the changes in morphology of the cranial lateral line over development affect the perceptive capabilities of the system.

Dissertation Outline:
A Very Gray Box: The Functional Consequences
of a Dynamic Sensory Mophology (.pdf, 7.8mb)