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I am an evolutionary biologist, with a focus on coral reef fishes. My research interests are on the integration of phylogenetics, assemblage patterns, morphological and ecological trait variation, and biomechanical potential of coral reef fish feeding modes to examine the evolutionary drivers of current species’ distributions and community compositions. I completed a BA in Biology and Environmental Studies from Wesleyan University and a PhD with the Committee of Evolutionary Biology (CEB) at the University of Chicago. The overarching goal of my PhD thesis was to explore the phylogenetics, evolution, and biogeography of the goatfishes (Family Mullidae), with a focus on their unique foraging behavior associated with substrate preferences and barbel use. To accomplish this, I inferred a comprehensive phylogeny using phylogenomics, examined global assemblage patterns using occurrence data, and assessed ecomorphological relationships between body and fin morphology with habitat use across the goatfishes. In my postdoctoral position in the Marine Macroevolution Unit at OIST, I plan to expand my research into the examination of population connectivity of diverse species, i.e. representatives of clades with variable modes of dispersal and life history traits, across the Ryukyus. In particular, I aim to test hypotheses about the morphological and life history traits associated with home range size, dispersal, habitat use, and population connectivity. The goal of this work is to identify informative traits that can be used to better predict dispersal potential across extant and fossil lineages. In my free time, I enjoy fish watching, cuddling with cats, and finding new cafes to try.

I am a paleontologist and evolutionary biologist, focusing on locomotory biomechanics. I am primarily interested in associations between form and function, particularly the recurrent evolution of specific morphologies in distantly related taxa. During my PhD at the University of Manchester, I investigated the locomotory biomechanics underlying the land-water transition in ancient whales. This included volumetric reconstruction, muscle moment arm analyses and hydrodynamic simulations of a variety of legged whales spanning the aquatic transition. Results were compared with other secondarily aquatic mammal groups - primarily mustelids and rodents - to evaluate the extent to which these separate transitions were convergent. Prior to that, as an MSc student at the University of Bristol I researched the most likely feeding strategy for the giant placoderm Titanichthys using finite element analysis. As a Postdoctoral Scholar at OIST, I plan to research the swimming hydrodynamics of fish. Using computational fluid dynamics and flume tank experiments, I am aiming to evaluate the hydrodynamic function of unique physical structures from the fish fossil record, which may then be investigated for potential biomimetic purposes. Away from work, I am passionate about diving, hiking, football and cinema.

As a theoretical evolutionary biologist, I am broadly interested in the evolution of complex traits and seek to understand the origin of phenotypic diversity among organisms using quantitative approaches. I did my PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) at the University of Michigan, during which time I leveraged large-scale genomic and phenomic data to test the role of adaptive and non-adaptive processes in the evolution of various types of phenotypic traits, ranging from gene expression to morphological characteristics. After finishing my PhD in 2022, I conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Southern California and started to work more on theoretical models. At OIST, I am continuing and extending this line of research, focusing specifically on the evolution of developmental processes underlying evolutionary novelties.

In my spare time, I am into anime, kaiju, and gunpla.

I am from Daejeon in South Korea and recently completed my master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at Hanbat National University. Before my master’s studies, I worked on predicting magnetic material properties from energy harvesting core performance using AI. Before my master’s studies, I focused on designing a passive microfluidic mixer with a three-dimensional zig-zag channel to enhance mixing efficiency under laminar flow conditions using FEM simulations, with applications in COVID-19 vaccine development. My research interest lies in linking causes and outcomes in evolutionary processes from an engineering perspective. I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to work with the Macroevolution Unit. In my free time, I enjoy snorkeling, watching soccer games, and exploring nature.

I am originally from Osaka. My duties are to provide administrative support to enable the unit to function smoothly and effectively. I am overjoyed to have the opportunity to work closely with marine science as an RUA and contribute to developing the Okinawan economy as a part of the OIST community. I love diving, traveling, the ocean, and of course, Okinawa! I especially love to watch the school of fish, then stealthily join them. My other favorites are cats, plants, and collecting the straw baskets.