June marked a significant milestone for our research team as we bid farewell to four exceptional master's students: Sonia Marketaki, Xuewei "Q" Qi, Paula Schmitz, and Chloe Marshall. Each of them successfully defended their thesis, leaving an indelible mark on our lab. During their time with us, Sonia, Q, Paula, and Chloe pursued diverse research interests, shedding light on various aspects of aquatic biomechanics. Sonia's work focused on investigating the maneuverability of blind tetras, examining the effect of intact and ablated lateral line on navigation. Q's research delved into the phenomenon of toxic algal blooms, specifically analyzing their impact on escape responses in the three-spined stickleback. Paula quantified the swimming and terrestrial walking abilities of two mudskipper species, while Chloe explored the influence of three-dimensional complexity in branching coral on the swimming performance of chromis damselfish.
Though we bid a fond farewell to Sonia, Paula, and Chloe, we are thrilled to welcome Q as our new lab technician and Angela Albi as a visiting postdoc. Q has already embarked on several projects, including investigations into fish hovering biomechanics. Meanwhile, Angela will be working on schooling fishes, bringing her expertise in collective motion to elucidate this social behavior.
Stay tuned for the upcoming publications of the remarkable research conducted by these talented students!
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