I am a sixth-year Ph.D. candidate in Physics at Syracuse University, NY, working in Chris Santangelo’s group. My graduate research has wandered through fluids, curvature propulsion, and origami– disparate topics bound together by soft matter.

In Januray 2026, I will begin a new position as a postdoctoral researcher at the Peleg Lab studying collective animal behavior!

Research overview

Controlling droplets

Controlling droplets
How do you control tiny liquid drops without “pristine” surfaces and fluids? Geometry could help.

Curvature propulsion

Curvature propulsion
Is it possible to pull yourself up by your bootstraps? Yes, if you’re on a curved surface and bendy enough!

“Holey” origami

Controlling droplets
If an origami pattern has its internal folds erased, how much information can you recover?