معرفی
Austin M. Garner is an Assistant Professor of Biology at Syracuse University’s College of Arts and Sciences, jointly affiliated with the Department of Biology and the Biochemistry Program. A functional morphologist and biomechanist, he explores how animals attach to and interact with complex surfaces, integrating life-science and physical-science approaches.
Education
- Ph.D. Integrated Bioscience, University of Akron (2021)
Dissertation: Examining the relationships between form, function, environment, and behavior in adhesive pad-bearing lizards - B.S. Biology (magna cum laude), University of Akron (2016)
Research Interests
Garner’s interdisciplinary program centers on functional morphology, biomechanics, and bio-inspired design. Current focal systems include:
- Lizard adhesion: quantifying microscopic setal morphology, claw–substrate interactions, and performance trade-offs in geckos and anoles.
- Sea-urchin adhesion: elucidating tube-foot biomechanics under environmental stressors such as hyposalinity and temperature change.
- Bio-inspired engineering: translating organismal attachment mechanisms into design principles for synthetic adhesives and biologging tag attachment.
His work combines high-resolution imaging, mechanical testing, field experiments, and computational analyses to reveal how form, function, and environment interact.
Publication Trends
Across 15 recent papers (2020-2025), Garner has advanced three major themes: (1) comparative adhesive morphology of lizards and its ecological correlates; (2) environmental modulation of sea-urchin adhesion and locomotion; and (3) cross-disciplinary biomechanical studies spanning fish fins, polar-bear paws, and bio-inspired devices. These contributions appear in leading journals such as Journal of Experimental Biology, Integrative and Comparative Biology, and Royal Society Open Science.
Funding & Grants
- Co-PI, “Advancement of Attachment of Biologging Tags,” Office of Naval Research via University of Michigan (2023-2026)
- PI, “Habitat-level Variation in the Functional Morphology of the Purple Sea Urchin Adhesive System,” Syracuse University (2024)
Service & Outreach
Garner serves as seminar-series organizer and recruitment-committee member in the Department of Biology, co-leads the Form & Function Focus Group within the BioInspired Institute, and regularly reviews for NSF, DoD, and >10 international journals. He has delivered >30 invited talks, including Café Scientifique and K-12 outreach events, and has been featured in Newsweek, The Boston Globe, and phys.org for his expertise on animal behavior during solar eclipses.
Laboratory & Team
Garner directs an active research group at Syracuse University equipped for high-speed videography, force measurement, microscopy, and 3-D surface analysis. Graduate and undergraduate students collaborate on projects examining lizard and echinoderm biomechanics, with opportunities for fieldwork in Jamaica and coastal marine sites.
