Brief Bio

I’m currently an independent postdoctoral fellow at Yale University, and also hold a guest researcher appointment at the Flatiron Institute. Previously I earned my PhD in physics at Simon Fraser University under professor David Sivak, during which time I also helped co-found OnDeck Fisheries AI with a couple of my best friends. Before that I studied physics and mathematics at Dalhousie University, where I learned the ropes of biophysics research from professor Andrew Rutenberg, and before that I was a child growing up in Vancouver, Canada.

Research Overview

My published research to date explores topics such as the thermodynamics of energy conversion by nanoscale molecular machines, how collective behaviour of motor proteins facilitates intracellular transport, and the structure and mechanics of collagen fibrils. I’ve got a lot of exciting work in the pipeline as well, with preprints hopefully coming soon, including (but by no means limited to):

• Interpreting neural activity patterns in the hippocampus,
• Exploring the non-markovian dynamics of animal behaviour,
• Learning how to recover equilibrium protein structure ensembles from cryo-EM data,
• Uncovering how thermodynamic considerations shape mitochondrial geometry, and
• Developing computational models for hierarchical protein fibers with the Impossible Fibers program at Speculative Technologies.
• On a much more speculative note, I’ve recently started thinking about what physics can tell us about why exactly animals need to spend so much of their lives asleep.

You can find a more detailed overview of my research here, or check out some recent popular science pieces covering aspects of my work:

• Information Flow in Molecular Machines, APS Physics Magazine, 2024.
• When Living Cells Malfunction, Can Science Help?, SFU Scholarly Impact of the Week, 2023.
• The Efficiency of Tandem Molecular Machines, APS Physics Magazine, 2023.
• New research sheds light on how molecular “machines” work together to speed up transport, EurekAlert!, 2022.

Other Interests

When I'm not doing science, I like to spend my time:

• Skiing: I've loved skiing pretty much all my life. Whenever time, weather, and my location allow I can be found in the mountains shredding gnar and schlarping pow! I'm a certified ski instructor (CSIA Level 1), and I am trained in avalanche risk evaluation and rescue (AST 1).
• Singing: I've had a strong passion for classical choral music as long as I can remember, and have been singing in choirs since the age of 5. I have performed as a soloist with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, the Victoria Philharmonic Orchestra, the Vancouver Bach Choir, and others. During my time in Halifax I sang as a choral scholar with the University of King's College Chapel Choir directed by Paul Halley. You can listen to recordings of some of our concerts here.
• Running: My first three years at Dalhousie I was a member of the varsity track team. I specialized in middle distance events, and won a number of individual medals as well as team championships in the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) league over my time with the team. I left in my fourth year in order to free up time to pursue other interests, but still really enjoy trail and mountain running when I have the chance.
• Surfing: A newer hobby. During my PhD I had the good fortune of living within weekend-trip-distance of some of Canada’s best surf beaches on the west coast of Vancouver Island, and took advantage whenever possible.