Invited Academic Presentations
2017 Stark, A. Y. Wet and dry biological adhesives in complex environments: learning from ants and geckos. Oral presentation, Gordon Research Conference on Science of Adhesion, Mount Holyoke, MA.
2016 Ditsche, P., Stark, A. Y. & Irschick, D. J. Biological Attachment Mechanisms; From Dry to Wet: Examples and Applications. Oral presentation for the International Congress of Vertebrate Morphology, Symposium on Interdisciplinary and Evolutionary Approach to Vertebrate Biological Materials, Washington DC.
2016 Stark, A. Y. Animal Tracks: Do Living Organisms Leave Behind Chemical Clues to Adhesive Success? Keynote speaker and Panel Member for Central Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Bio-inspired Chemistry: Inspiring Solutions, Interactive Session sponsored by Procter & Gamble Co., Covington, KY.
2015 Stark, A. Y. The Effect of Water on the Gecko Adhesive System: Behavioral Implications. Oral presentation for the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Behavior Discussion Group, Panama City, Panama.
2014 Stark, A. Y. The Effect of Water on the Gecko Adhesive System. Oral presentation as the Department of Biology Seminar Speaker, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY.
Invited Industry Presentations
2016 Stark, A. Y. Wet and dry biological adhesives in complex environments: learning from ants and geckos. Oral presentation,1st Annual National Biomimicry Summit and Education Forum for Aerospace, in collaboration with NASA, Cleveland, OH.
2015 Stark, A. Y., Niewiarowski, P. H., Dhinojwala, A. & Sitti, M. The Effect of Temperature and Humidity on Gecko-inspired Synthetic Adhesives. Oral presentation at the Adhesive and Sealant Convention Spring Conference and Expo., Nashville, TN.
2013 Stark, A. Y. Nanomechanical Study of Gecko Setae and Clam Shrimp Shells. Oral presentation for the Agilent Technologies Nanomechanical Properties Workshop, University of Akron, Akron, OH.
2012 Stark, A. Y. & Keeble, D. Biomimicry and Attachment. Oral Presentation and discussion at Talan Products, Inc., Cleveland, OH
2011 Stark, A. Y., Hsu, P., Niewiarowski, P. H. & Dhinojwala, A. The Gecko Adhesive System: Analysis of Lipid Footprints. Oral presentation at the Biannual Meeting of the Akron Functional Materials Center, University of Akron and the Austen Bioinnovation Institute, Akron, OH.
2009 Sethi, S., Badge, I. & Stark, A. Y. Gecko Adhesion and Application. World President’s Organization, University of Akron, Akron, OH.
Conference Presentations
2017 Thompson, K. C., A. Y. Stark & S. P. Yanoviak. Ant tarsal adhesion on oak leaves differing in trichome density. Poster presentation at the Kentucky Academy of Science Annual Meeting.
2017 Walker, C., R., Ethington & A. Y. Stark. Who is your champion? A close look at how plant and animal structures can function to help solve a problem. Hands-On Workshop & Demonstration, National Conference for the National Science Teachers Association.
2017 Stark, A. Y. Variation in static and dynamic adhesive performance of ants and geckos in challenging environmental conditions. Oral presentation, Adhesion Society Annual Meeting.
2017 Stark, A. Y. & S. P. Yanoviak. Slippery when wet: adhesion and running velocity of a tropical canopy ant on wet substrates. Oral presentation, Society for Integrated and Comparative Biology Annual Meeting.
2016 Stark, A. Y. and Yanoviak, S. P. Normal and Shear Adhesion of Ants on Hot, Wet and Rough Substrates. Oral presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Adhesion Society.
2016 Stark, A. Y. and Yanoviak, S. P. Move it or lose it: adhesion and running velocity on rough substrates in a tropical canopy ant. Oral presentation at the Society for Integrated and Comparative Biology Annual Meeting.
2016 Garner, A. M., Stark, A. Y., Thomas, S. A. and Niewiarowski, P. H. Geckos go the distance: water’s effect on gecko locomotor performance. Poster presentation at the Society for Integrated and Comparative Biology Annual Meeting.
2015 Sandman, R., Stark, A. Y., Schultz, D. & Yanoviak, S. P. The Contribution of Lipids to Ant Adhesion. Poster presentation at the Kentucky Academy of Science Annual Meeting.
2015 Stark, A. Y. The Effect of Water on the Gecko Adhesive System. Oral presentation for the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, BAMBI seminar, Barro Colorado Island, Panama.
2015 Stark, A. Y., Niewiarowski, P. H., Dhinojwala, A. & Sitti, M. The Effect of Temperature and Humidity on Gecko-inspired Synthetic Adhesives. Oral presentation at Annual Meeting of The Adhesion Society.
2015 Stark, A. Y., Palecek, A. M., Niewiarowski, P. H. & Dhinojwala, A. The Effect of Substrate Structure and Roughness on the Gecko Adhesive System. Oral presentation at the Society for Integrated and Comparative Biology Annual Meeting.
2015 Jain, D., Stark, A. Y., Niewiarowski, P. H., Miyoshi, T. & Dhinojwala, A. Tracing Lipids and their Association with Keratin in the Adhesive Gecko Setae by NMR Spectroscopy. Poster presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Biophysical Society.
2014 Stark, A. Y., Badge, I., Niewiarowski, P.H. & Dhinojwala, A. The Effect of Surface Wettability and Wetting on the Gecko Adhesive System. Oral presentation at the Annual Meeting of The Adhesion Society (Peebles Award & Alan Gent Award Winner).
2014 Stark, A. Y., Badge, I., Wucinich, N., Paoloni, E., Niewiarowski, P. H. & Dhinojwala, A. Surface Chemistry and Self-drying in the Gecko Adhesive System. Oral presentation at the Society for Integrated and Comparative Biology Annual Meeting.
2013 Stark, A. Y., Niewiarowski, P. H., Dhinojwala, A. & Badge, I. The Effect of Water on the Gecko Adhesive System. Oral presentation at the Society for Integrated and Comparative Biology Annual Meeting.
2012 Stark, A. Y., Sullivan, T. W. & Niewiarowski, P. H. The Effect of Surface Water and Wetting on Gecko Adhesion. Poster presentation at the Society for Integrated and Comparative Biology Annual Meeting.
2011 Astrop, T. I., Stark, A. Y. & Sahni, V. Poking holes in shrimp: An integrated investigation into preservation bias in the fossil record of Spinicaudata. Oral presentation at the Brown Bag Seminar Series, University of Akron
2011 Sullivan, T., Cross, N., Stark, A. Y. & Niewiarowski, P. H. The Effects of Surface Water and Wetting on Gecko Adhesion. Poster presentation at the Choose Ohio First Tiered Mentoring Poster Competition (Second Place Winner).
2011 Stark, A. Y. Molecular Modeling of β-keratin in an Aqueous Environment. Poster presentation at the Conference for Undergraduate and Graduate Student Research, University of Akron
2010 Sullivan, T., Yang, B., Stark, A. Y. & Niewiarowski, P. H. Slip Slidin’ Away: A study of the effects of water on gecko adhesion. Poster presentation at the Choose Ohio First Tiered Mentoring Poster Competition.
2010 Stark, A. Y., Blackledge, T. A., Dhinojwala, A. & Niewiarowski, P. H. Mechanical Properties of the Gecko Setal Shaft. Poster presentation at the First Semi-Annual Symposium on Biomaterials, College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, University of Akron, and The Austen BioInnovation Institute
2009 McClung, B., Sullivan, T., Stark, A. Y. & Niewiarowski, P. H. Faster but not Stickier: A comparison of an invasive gecko and the native species it is displacing. Poster presentation at the Choose Ohio First Tiered Mentoring Poster Competition (First Place Winner).
2009 Stark, A. Y. Harmful Algal Blooms: Can California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) be used as an indicator species? Oral presentation at the Brown Bag Seminar Series, University of Akron