David Boerma
Biography
Faculty Bio
Dr. David Boerma is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at the Â̾ÞÈËÊÓƵ and a Research Associate in the Department of Mammalogy at the American Museum of Natural History.
Awards and Honors
- National Science Foundation, 2019, NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology
Education
PhD, Brown University, Providence, RI, 2019
MS, Brown University, Providence, RI, 2017
Ecology and Evolutionary Biolgy
BS, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 2013
Biological Sciences
Research and Creative Works
Research Interest
I study animal evolution through the lens of form and function.
The overall goal of my research program is to resolve traits that drive species diversification by studying the evolutionary links among animal anatomy, biomechanics, and ecology. My lab takes an integrative approach, leveraging museum collections, field-based experiments, and phylogenetic comparative methods to investigate the evolution of morphology and biomechanics involved in locomotion, especially flight in bats.
My recent research has focused on learning how bats recover from aerial stumbles and how their landing maneuvers have evolved in concert with the physical properties of their roosts.
Courses Taught
Past Courses
BIO 102: General Biology II
BIO 251: Principles of Human Anatomy
BIO 395: Independent Study in Biology