(4og) Exploring Collective Behaviors: From Nanoparticles to Ants to Robots

I am fascinated by the complexity and emergent behaviors of natural systems, both living and nonliving. In particular, I explore the interactions that occur within these systems, from the nano- to macro-scale, and the unique insights that can be gleaned from understanding them. My research involves developing and using computational models to elucidate general guiding principles and predict useful behaviors and properties. I have remained rooted in engineering because I value how it integrates chemistry, physics, mathematics, and biology to address relevant problems.

My research uses computational approaches to investigate the design principles and emergent intelligence of active collectives that demonstrate functional behaviors. Depending on the system being studied, this can provide insight into fundamental physical or biological systems using a curiosity-driven approach or can be motivated by the desire to generate understanding that can be directly applied to new or existing technologies.

My research experience has focused on developing and applying modeling tools to characterize a variety of systems, including carbon-based nanoparticles, bacterial systems, social insects, and soft robotics. During my PhD at the University of Cambridge, I explored mechanisms that control the formation and structure of carbonaceous soot nanoparticles in combustion environments using advanced molecular models and stochastic methods. My doctoral research contributed to our physical and chemical understanding of carbonaceous particles and produced computational tools useful for investigating size and shape diversity in self-assembled systems.

My postdoctoral work has shifted from investigating molecular interactions to exploring the complex interactions within living collectives. With a European Commission funded fellowship, I engaged in a bionanoscience postdoctoral project at the Delft University of Technology in which I extended a biophysical model of self-propelled soft particles to further understand the physical and chemical interactions in bacterial communities. Following this, I also engaged in more experimental work, studying Bacillus subtilis biofilms in the biomedical engineering department at Boston University with a focus on quantifying the role of differentiable cell motility states on biofilm expansion and structure.

Currently, as a postdoctoral researcher at Harvard University, I am developing agent-based models to understand the collective behaviors of two systems: ants and robots. In the first project, I am exploring potential mechanisms by which ants are able to avoid traffic jams in crowded environments by evaluating their interaction rates and memory responses. In the second project, I have branched into engineered applications of collective behaviors by using simulations to describe and design a 3D-printed robotic system that autonomously performs a variety of functional behaviors depending on its internal geometric constraints. For both of these systems, I have been involved in detailed analysis of extant experimental data collected by my international collaborators, although my focus is on developing and employing computational models to produce insight into latent properties and a general understanding that allows predictions to be made.

In the future, my goal is to continue using computational modeling approaches to explore the driving principles of self-assembly and pattern formation in living and non-living systems. In the short term, this would involve pursuing projects for which I already have experimental motivation with existing collaborators, focused on microbes and simple robotics. One such project would be to systematically explore the effects of shape polydispersity on multispecies microbial communities, building on a biophysical model I developed during my postdoctoral work. This work will map out spatiotemporal patterns related to cooperative and competitive behaviors, highlighting the role of shape polydispersity in partitioning or mixing of dynamic multispecies communities. The interaction principles elucidated will shed light on complex multispecies bacterial systems of great importance in medicine and health. In addition, this project may spawn further longer-term investigations by providing a framework to addressing other active collectives that feature polydisperse interacting communities.

Looking further into the future, I am interested in leading research that also includes themes of biomimicry and exploration looking at larger scales such as social insects and animal groups, working with experimental collaborators who have collected rich datasets that would provide a rich complement and motivator for specific computational applications. This research will provide novel scholarship with real world applications and has the potential to provide substantial impact across numerous fields including ecology, health, robotics, and materials.

Teaching Interests

My teaching philosophy centers around fostering an environment that approaches learning as a delightful journey that engages and equips students. My approach pulls from what I valued as a student and is motivated and inspired by outstanding educators I have encountered. I have organized my teaching philosophy around three key principles: learning as a delight, teaching for life-long learning, and rooted in respect for the individual.

Learning as a delight

Learning is a delight-filled privilege. I believe this wholeheartedly and it is foundational to my approach to teaching. I value the opportunities I have as an instructor to teach and aim to help students recognise the delight to be had in learning! This underlying attitude shapes my interactions with students and colleagues as well as with the learning material itself.

I have always found great joy in teaching. My first jobs as a swim instructor and martial arts coach allowed me to develop the skills required to dynamically engage with a group of students, provide constructive feedback, and motivate continued learning. Although teaching science and engineering may look different than a physical activity (no wetsuits required for computing classes!), these experiences allowed me to develop and grow as a teacher from a young age.

Teaching for life-long learning

My goal is to help students become motivated and inspired by the material, leave equipped to apply it, and enabled to continue learning and growing. I have seen over and over again how empowering students to be confident, self-directed learners allows them to flourish in school settings and reap rewards in work environments. This is especially important within STEM fields, where most students go on to apply their studies in very practical situations where they assume responsibility for their contributions.

Engaging in life-long learning is also a continuously evolving journey for me as the teacher, as continued professional development in teaching is imperative for developing and implementing new ideas to improve teaching design, delivery, and assessment.

Rooted in respect for the individual

My teaching style is dynamic and intentionally adaptable. Although I believe that learning is a delight, I recognise that not all styles of learning are delightful to all students. I care deeply about enabling students to engage with the content and I seek to empower students to do this in the ways that work best for them, respecting that each individual in my class is unique.

In this way, I work to be inclusive and accessible in how I deliver and assess material and communicate with students. As someone with a hearing impairment, my own approach to learning has been shaped by experiences in which I saw that what worked for others did not work best for me. I strive to show my students that I respect them each individually and to translate this into a teaching style that combines integrity and fairness with understanding and sensitivity.

Teaching Roles

I have been involved in teaching in a university context since 2011, involved in roles such as an undergraduate tutor helping students in physics and engineering, a graduate teaching assistant preparing and delivering small group teaching and grading, a sessional instructor designing and providing a course in mechanical engineering, and a mentor to undergraduate and graduate researchers.

Mentorship, within both the classroom and research context, is a vital teaching outlet and I strive to be intentional in promoting academic and personal growth in mentoring relationships. I have been involved as a mentor to high school and undergraduate students both formally and informally for over a decade and especially enjoy sharing my love of science and engineering with individuals who are considering a profession in that field. I have been intentional about seeking out ways to provide mentorships to students of all ages and have also been regularly engaged in training to best equip myself for this role. In addition to long-standing mentoring activities through Cybermentors and the Scholars Academy, I am have recently joined as a Career Mentoring Fellow with the American Physical Society.

I have experience teaching across many fields, including chemistry, fluids, computing, molecular modelling, physics, engineering, and nanobioscience. I am keen to be involved in fundamental engineering courses as well as more advanced forays into computational modelling. I enjoy the fresh discovery of new students so would be particularly interested in being involved in first year courses. I also believe that computing skills and modeling are increasingly important in all fields and would like to be involved in sharing this, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.