Research

Organisms often produce complex movements to move from one place to another. Our lab focuses on how animals produce and control movement, both in the laboratory and in natural environments. At the moment, we are looking at the diversity of flight behaviors that different species of birds perform around feeders.

For more information, you can read this feature that the University did on our research in the summer of 2002 (link).

Vertebrates have evolved complex morphological and physiological traits to cope with changing environments. We are interested in understanding how variation in morphological traits affects performance from a comparative perspective. In particular, we are investigating the morphological diversity of the cranium in primates and how this diversity affects their ability to produce bite force using 3D models.

Vertebrates, and mammals in particular, spend a substantial amount of time looking for and ingesting food. Our research explores the functional significance of variation in the morphology of the feeding system and the biomechanics of the musculoskeletal apparatus. This project is achieved through a collaboration with colleagues at the University of Chicago and Monash University.