Sheila N Patek

Sheila N Patek is the Mrs. Alexander Hehmeyer Professor and Professor of Biology at Duke University’s Trinity College of Arts & Sciences. Her research focuses on evolutionary biomechanics, particularly the mechanics of ultra-fast biological movements in organisms like mantis shrimp, trap-jaw ants, and plants. She leads the Patek Lab, which employs interdisciplinary methods including high-speed imaging, materials testing, and mathematical modeling to uncover principles underlying biological diversity.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Biology, Duke University (2001)

Research Interests: Exploring how organisms achieve extreme mechanical performance, with applications to bio-inspired engineering and evolutionary design. Her work bridges biology, physics, and engineering to address questions about energy storage, impact dynamics, and evolutionary constraints. She advocates for basic science and has developed the Muser platform to connect researchers with students while reducing recruitment bias.

Grants & Recognition: Principal Investigator on grants from the National Science Foundation and Army Research Office, focusing on evolutionary biomechanics and impulsive systems. Notably defended her research against political scrutiny in 2015 and became a vocal advocate for scientific integrity.

Labs & Teams: Directs the Patek Lab at Duke, dedicated to biological discovery and translational research. The lab’s website (www.thepateklab.org) highlights current projects and resources for collaboration.