People

Simon Sponberg

Simon moved to Georgia Tech in the fall of 2014. He studies how the versatile, agile locomotion of animals arises from their physiological components using the perspective of physics and comparative biology. He completed his graduate training at UC, Berkeley and postdoctoral research at the University of Washington. 

Usama Bin Sikandar

Usama received his B.S. from LUMS and both his M.S. and Ph.D. from Georgia Tech. He is interested in biomechanics, control systems and dynamics. He uses models of flapping flight, control systems and integrative biology approaches to understand how hawkmoths display remarkable agility in their flight. In his spare time, you might find him going on road trips, exploring restaurants, listening to some good music or just watching cricket.

Varun Sharma

Ph.D. student

Quantitative Biosciences

Leo Wood

Ph.D. student

Quantitative Biosciences

Ethan Wold

Ph.D. student

Quantitative Biosciences

Ellen Liu

Ph.D. student

Quantitative Biosciences

Ellen received her B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering in 2021 from the University of Limerick, Ireland. Her interests are in biological locomotor systems and how features from these systems can be applied to robotics. She is investigating neuromechanical control architectures under various conditions to determine optimal control strategies. When she’s not in the lab she likes to play music, video games and travel.

Dr. Jordanna Sprayberry

Professor

Jordanna received her BS in Zoology from the University of Rhode Island and her PhD from the University of Washington. She completed her postdoctoral training at the University of Arizona and is currently a professor at a small liberal arts college (SLAC) in Pennsylvania, Muhlenberg College. She is visiting faculty at the Agile Systems lab. Her research interests are in the 'Neuroethology of Pollination', and is investigating odor modulation of visual encoding when playing in Atlanta. In her free time she hikes (preferably with family and her dog), sings, gardens, and knits.

Naris Asawalertsak

Ph.D. student

Naris received his B.E. in Robotics and Automation from King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi. He is currently a PhD student in Information Science and Technology at Vidyasirimedhi Institute of Science and Technology. He is interested in Neural Locomotion Control and Soft Robotics to understand how neural control deals with unpredictable information from flexible robots. Outside of research, he enjoys reading, watching movies, and traveling.

Lucas Marsh

Master's student

Luke graduated from Kent State University with his Bachelor's in Biology in 2023. He is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Biology in the Material Science and Engineering department at Clemson University. His work involves understanding the circulatory system of the antennae in Periplaneta americana. Outside of research, he enjoys collecting lepidoptera, painting, and playing jazz music.

Jake Miller

Jake is a recent post-baccalaureate out of the Georgia Tech Physics B.S. program now in charge of maintaining the lab and conducting research. A curiosity for the mind has driven him from studying physics to neuroscience where he hopes to still make use of his physics and computational science background. Jake fills his free time with watching shows and movies, reading, writing, and playing video games- all to facilitate a passion for science fiction and philosophy.

Delaney McGowan

Physics

Delaney is a third-year physics major pursuing a concentration in Physics of Living Systems. She is working with Leo to understand the interactions between moth nervous systems and flight. She spends her free time rock climbing and watching A24 movies.

Karrah Hayes

Biomedical Engineering

Karrah is an undergraduate student pursuing a major in Biomedical Engineering with a Biology minor. Fascinated by animal physiology and neuroscience, she is working alongside Leo to investigate the neuroanatomy of the hawkmoth nerve cord. When she’s off work, Karrah enjoys hiking, reading, listening to music, and talking about her pets.

Elliot Huang

Computer Science, Psychology

Elliot is a third-year undergraduate at Georgia Institute of Technology pursuing a B.S. in Computer Science with a focus on Modeling-Simulation & Intelligence. In complement, he is also completing a B.S. in Psychology and minoring in Biochemistry and Health/Medical Sciences. Curious about the neural and cognitive mechanisms behind behavior, he is working with Varun to investigate how hawkmoths retune their sensorimotor controllers when faced with destabilizing dynamics. For fun, he enjoys various hobbies such as skiing, snowboarding, rock climbing, and singing.

Joanna Baker

Biology

Joanna is originally from Atlanta and now studies Biology and Art Practice at Stanford University. This summer she is working with Ethan to segment, process, and analyze CT scans of thorax muscles in hawkmoths and silkmoths. This project will help visualize and quantify the anatomical differences that underly the divergent flight strategies of these two evolutionary branches. In her free time, Joanna likes to make art, play guitar, and hang out with her family and cats.

Jean Baptiste Bwirayesu

Biology

Jean Baptiste is an undergraduate student at Franklin & Marshall College pursuing a major in Biology with a dual degree program of biomedical engineering. He is working with Ethan on investigating how the hawkmoths withstand the aerial challenges of the wing-flapping flight via indirect actuation of the flight system by a specialized musculature. Jean Baptiste spends his free time playing piano, reading, watching TV series, and walking outdoors.

Nada Louhichi

Computer Science

Nada Louhichi is an undergraduate student pursuing a major in Computer Science Engineering at Esprit University in Tunisia. She has a deep love for biology and is fascinated by how different organisms work. In her free time, Nada enjoys engaging in philanthropic activities, exercising, and learning new languages.