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cover of episode 815: Fascinated by the Effects of Material Properties on the Form and Function of Fishes - Dr. Adam Summers

815: Fascinated by the Effects of Material Properties on the Form and Function of Fishes - Dr. Adam Summers

2025/6/2
logo of podcast People Behind the Science Podcast Stories from Scientists about Science, Life, Research, and Science Careers

People Behind the Science Podcast Stories from Scientists about Science, Life, Research, and Science Careers
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Adam Summers: 我热爱与家人共度时光，参与水上活动和远足。我最大的爱好是驾驶小型飞机，这占据了我大量非科研时间。我接受过工程和数学方面的训练，后来才进入生物学领域。我运用工程和物理原理来研究生物系统，从自然界中汲取灵感，解决诸如过滤、粘附、钻沙和水下高效移动等技术问题。我对事物如何运作充满好奇，并乐于看到我不理解的事物。我每天都渴望工作，解答我头脑中燃烧的问题。我的博士生导师 Beth Brainerd 是我心目中完美科学家的典范，她非常专注，思维敏锐，是一位出色的导师。我也传承了前辈们的精神，认为为科学事业做出贡献非常重要。从小我就喜欢动物，并在纽约市和加拿大找到了观察动物的机会。在澳大利亚潜水时，我意识到自己热爱自然世界，但同时也怀念大学的学术氛围。我把尽可能多地待在自然界和收藏馆附近作为我的职业。

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Dr. Adam Summers, a professor at the University of Washington, uses engineering and physics principles to understand living systems and solve real-world problems inspired by nature, such as improving filtration, adhesion, and underwater movement.
  • Dr. Adam Summers applies engineering and mathematics principles to biological systems.
  • He uses nature-inspired solutions to solve real-world problems like filtration, adhesion, and underwater movement.
  • Animals excel at tasks humans struggle with, using seemingly inferior materials.

Shownotes Transcript

Dr. Adam Summers is a Professor in the School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences and Department of Biology at the University of Washington, and he conducts research in his lab within the Friday Harbor Laboratories there. With a background in engineering and mathematics, Adam works on applying engineering and physics principles to living systems. He uses lessons from the natural world to develop solutions to real-world problems like how to filter things, stick to things, burrow in sand, and move quickly and efficiently under water. Adam and his family live on a small island where they enjoy hiking and hanging out by the sea shore together. In addition, Adam is a licensed pilot, so you can often spot him spending his free time flying small planes. He completed his bachelor’s degree in mathematics and engineering at Swarthmore College, and afterwards worked as a SCUBA instructor in Australia. Adam next decided to pursue graduate school, receiving his master’s degree in Biology from New York University and his PhD in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Massachusetts. He received a Miller Research Postdoctoral fellowship to conduct research at the University of California, Berkeley and went on to serve as a faculty member at UC, Irvine before joining the faculty at the University of Washington. Adam has been named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In addition, he was awarded the Bartholmew Prize for physiology research from the Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology, the UC, Irvine Academic Senate prize for undergraduate teaching, as well as the Directors award for program management excellence from the National Science Foundation. He also writes a monthly biomechanics column in Natural History Magazine and served as scientific advisor for the Pixar films “Finding Nemo” and the recently released sequel “Finding Dory”. Adam is here with us today to talk a little about his research and tell us all about his journey through life and science.