Biomechanics and neural control of maneuvering flight

Synopsis

My research program is motivated by fascination with bird flight. My laboratory group uses a multi-disciplinary approach that includes biomechanics, physiology, and neuroscience to examine flight ability. Our current research is organized around two topics: 1) how birds morph their wings and what benefits this provides; and 2) how optic flow signals are encoded in the avian brain and used to guide their flight. As we gain understanding of flight mechanisms, we further endeavor to apply comparative approaches that provide deeper insight into avian ecology and evolution.