Lab Members

Dr. Alyssa Y. Stark

Assistant Professor

Link to Dr. Stark’s CV

Current Graduate Students


Kathryn Voegtlin – Class of 2021

Thesis: The Effect of Inclined, Declined, and Inverted Substrates on Gecko Locomotor Performance and Gait Kinematics

Katie graduated from Vassar College in 2018

Current Undergraduate Students

Anthony Conte – Class of 2021
(Senior Thesis Student)

Thesis: The Effect of Surface Roughness and Orientation on Ant Adhesive and Locomotor Performance
Kaitlyn Naughton – Class of 2021
(Senior Thesis Student)

Thesis: Adhesive Tenacity and Behavior of Two Populations of Purple Sea Urchins

with Drs. Michael Russell & Carla Narvaez

Erin Bogacki – Class of 2021
(Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience Major)

(Senior Thesis Student)

Thesis: Locomotor Performance and Behavior of Geckos in Wet Environments
Catherine Implicito – Class of 2021 
(Senior Thesis Student)

Thesis: Adhesive Performance of Ants in Variable Temperature
Nellie O’Leary – Class of 2021
(Senior Thesis Student & Honors Student)

Thesis: The Effect of Surface Temperature on the Adhesive Performance of Geckos
Nina Hulet – Class of 2021
(Senior Thesis Student)

Thesis: Locomotor Performance and Behavior of Purple Sea Urchins on Variable Substrates

with Drs. Michael Russell & Carla Narvaez

Samantha Dolloff – Class of 2022

Project: To Jump or Not to Jump: The Unique Locomotor Performance of Tropical Ants

Ana (Sofia) Rive – Class of 2022

Project: TBA!
Julia Redpath – Class of 2023

Project: TBA!
Mikayla Desaye – Class of 2023

Project: TBA!

Alumni

Graduate Students

Christopher Mitchell – Class of 2020


Thesis: Gecko and Gecko-Inspired Synthetic Adhesive Performance in Variable Temperature and Humidity

Chris graduated from Texas Tech with degrees in Chemical Engineering and Natural Resources Management. His undergraduate advisor was Dr. Robin Verble-Pearson.

Undergraduate Students

Bridget Ringenwald – Class of 2020
(Senior Thesis Student & Honors Student)

Thesis: Locomotor Performance of Geckos in Variable Temperature and Humidity

Currently veterinary student at University of Pennsylvania
Manuel Guerra – Class of 2020
(Senior Thesis Student )

Thesis: Material Properties of Sea Urchin Teeth

with Drs. Michael Russell, Carla Narvaez and Gang Feng (Mechanical Engineering)




Marielle (Ellie) Dineen-Carey – Class of 2019
(Senior Thesis Student)

Thesis: Material Properties of Sea Urchin Teeth (S. purpuratus) is Related to Grazing Substrate

with Drs. Michael Russell, Carla Narvaez and Gang Feng (Mechanical Engineering)

Currently a physical therapy student
William Harrison – Class of 2019

Currently a medical student at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Alissa Coonfield – Class of 2019
(also member/Senior Thesis student of Iyengar Lab)

Currently at University of Akron as an Integrated Bioscience PhD student in the lab of Dr. Todd Blackledge
Tessa Fanning – Class of 2021
(Electrical Engineering Major)

Project: Sensor Design of Gecko Racetrack

High School Students

2020    Megan Stratton, Brick Township Memorial High School, Brick, NJ

2019    Nicolas Gustafson, home school student, Villanova, PA

2018    Grace Field, Phoenixville High School, Phoenixville, PA