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. 

Dr. Brett Aiello

Joy Putney

Ph.D.

Quantitative Biosciences

Joy obtained her B.S. in Biology and Physics-Engineering from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, VA. While there, she researched how electrical signals for gastrointestinal motility are altered by disease states. She has an interest in the interface between biomechanics and neural control that started with her undergrad research, and is excited to work in the Sponberg lab, because--let's face it--moths are a lot cuter than guts. When not in lab, she enjoys reading books, going to the movies, hiking, and playing video games.

Usama Bin Sikandar

Ph.D. candidate

Electrical Engineering

Usama received his B.Sc. from LUMS. He is an electrical engineer interested in control systems and dynamics. He uses models of flapping flight and control systems to understand how hawkmoths display remarkable agility in their flight. He is also working on two collaborations: 1) With Brett in a quest to answer why silkmoths and hawkmoths fly differently; 2) With Dr. Ferrari's lab (Cornell) in remodeling their RoboBee to make it a better flier by taking inspirations from insect flight.

Varun Sharma

Ph.D. candidate

Quantitative Biosciences

Leo Wood

Quantitative Biosciences

Emine Zeynep Ulutas

Neuroscience

Emine is an undergraduate Neuroscience major interested in systems and cellular neuroscience. She is working with Brett and Stephanie on understanding how contextual cues and neuromodulation can regulate behavioral plasticity in moths. In her spare time, she enjoy hanging out with my friends, playing violin, and trying out new restaurants/coffee shops.

Haritha Sigili

Neuroscience

Haritha is an undergraduate neuroscience major with a minor in health and medical sciences. Her interests lie within systems neuroscience. She is working with Stephanie in understanding the process behind how hawkmoths learn and apply that knowledge. In her spare time, she enjoys having out with her friends and learning to cook new recipes.

Gabriel Montes

Physics

Gabriel is a second-year Physics major currently pursuing a CS and math double minor. He works with Usama to refine a model describing moth flight aerodynamics. He mostly spends his spare time with friends, swimming/lifting weights, cooking and reading/watching sci-fi.

Harrison Fu

Biomedical engineering

Harrison is an undergraduate biomedical engineering major. He works with Brett to study mudskipper blinking. In his free time, he enjoys rock climbing, kayaking, and trying new recipes.