Resume
Research Experience
2023 - Present
Postdoctoral Research (Advisor: Aaron Johnson)
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA
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Co-PI on NSF EAGER Grant: “Extinct Does Not Imply Unfit: Paleobiology, Defossilization, and New Sources for Novel Robots”
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Presented work at NSF-Foundation in Robotics Research PI Meeting
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Became Trailblazer in Engineering Fellow (Purdue University July 2024)
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Mentored undergraduate and graduate students on various projects resulting in poster presentations
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Led projects on rapid prototyping small quadruped robots to conduct cost-benefit analysis of design changes
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Led survey on spined robots to elucidate design space and challenges in adding degrees of freedom to quadruped robots
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Described full workspace of ancient amphibian using Pybullet simulation
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Attended NSF Workshop on Mechanical Intelligence
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NSF Review Panelist
2020 - 2023
Postdoctoral Research (Advisor: Daniel Koditschek)
Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, General Robotics Automation Sensing and Perception lab, University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
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Characterized dynamic capabilities of spinal columns from earliest land animals to aid in bio-inspired design of spines in legged robots
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Developed theoretical framework for using paleontology in bio-inspired robotic design
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Organized bi-weekly meetings for postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, and student researchers and across four universities for interdisciplinary works
2014 - 2020
Doctoral Research
(Advisor: Peter Dodson)
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pennsylvania
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Conducted kinematic studies on ancient vertebrae using AutoCad Inventor Fusion360
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Experimentally determined the Young’s modulus of vertebrae in Permian (250 million years ago) using multi-material 3D printing
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Evaluated crushing resistance in ancient, shelled mollusks
Philadelphia, PA
2010 - 2014
Undergraduate Research (Advisor: Kenneth Lacovara)
Department of Biology,
Drexel University
Philadelphia, PA
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Assembled database of 100+ journal articles concerning geology and fossils found in New Jersey, anatomy of crocodilians and dinosaurs
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Described cranium of sub-adult ancient crocodile from New Jersey
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Properly identified two halves of an ancient crocodile skull mistakenly split between two departments of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University and developed a dichotomous key to aid in finding other disassociated materials
Teaching Experience
2025
Vertebrate Morphology (BIOSC 1200)
Guest Lecturer
Department of Biology,
University of Pittsburgh
2025
The Earth Through Time (GEOL 102)
Guest Lecturer
Department of Geology and Geological Engineering, University of North Dakota
2024
Orthopedic Tissue Mechanics (BMD 42697)
Guest Lecturer
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University
2022-2025 (Annually)
Guest Lecturer
The Science of Studying Dinosaurs (BIO 230)
Evolution (BIO 270)
Department of Biology,
North Carolina State University
2019
Vertebrate Paleontology (GEO 311)
Guest Lecturer
Department of Geology,
Rowan University
2016, 2018
Teaching Assistant
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pennsylvania
Earth and Life Through Time (ENVS 210)
Awarded: Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award
Intro to Environmental Earth (ENVS 100)
Education
2020
University of Pennsylvania
Ph.D in Earth and Environmental Sciences
Dissertation: The Effects of Vertebral Morphology and Composition on Stem-Tetrapod Intervertebral Joint Functional Behavior
Fontaine Scholar: high achieving underrepresented doctoral students; Phillips Orville Fellow
Philadelphia, PA
Drexel University
B.S in Biology; Minor: Spanish
Senior Thesis: Geometric morphometric analysis of stem tetrapod forelimbs Mary K. Howett Memorial Scholar; Alliance for Minority Participation Scholar
Philadelphia, PA
Honors/Awards
Co-PI: NSF EAGER ($261,912.00) 2025-2027
Vice Provost Postdoctoral Fellowship ($197,000) 2020-2023
Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award 2018
Broadening Participation Award ($500) 2017
Greg and Susan J. Walker Endowment ($6,000) 2017
Paul Bond Scholarship ($2500) 2017
Fontaine Fellowship ($50,000) 2014
Philip Orville Fellowship ($10,000) 2014
Mary K. Howett Memorial Scholarship in Biology ($5,000) 2013
Anthony J. Drexel Scholarship ($100,000) 2010-2014