My research focuses on understanding the neural mechanisms underlying insect behavior, with a particular emphasis on chemosensation. In particular I am interested in how neurons sense and combine stimuli of opposite valence to guide complex behaviors such as host-seeking.

Okay, I consider behavior the most interesting aspect of my research. I am particularly interested in quantitative, fine-grained analysis of freely moving animals. I mainly use machine learning-based tools to detect, track and analyze the behavior of multiple animals. I support the idea that a closer look at behavior can provide insights into the neural basis of decision-making, and that behavior on its own right its a powerful tool to understand not only the brain, but the adaptive processes that sculpted it over million of years of evolution.

I am a fan of DIY solutions that provide high-quality data. I have developed a series of custom-made tools to study insect behavior, including a low-cost, high-resolution tracking system. Where possible I support a frugal approach to science, and I am always happy to share my tools and code with the community. I believe that science should be open and accessible to everyone. This might sound like a cliché, but I truly believe that open-source tools and data sharing are the future of science.

Since my undergraduate years, I have tried to gain as much fieldwork experience as possible. I have worked in remote regions such as the dry forest of North Madagascar and the Utah Desert, where I conducted biological and ecological surveys. I have been part of thre consecutive Mars Society expeditions aimed at surveying the biodiversity of the Utah Desert surrounding the Mars Desert Research Station. I think that fieldwork is a important now more than ever as the rate of extinction is increasing, and documenting biodiversity has become crucial. Advancements in technology have made quantitative research in the field more accessible, and I am excited to see how the field of ecology will meet the field of neuroscience in the near future.