Kelsey N. Lucas, PhD (she/her)

Assistant Professor

Biological Sciences, University of Calgary

kelsey.lucas [at] ucalgary.ca

I am fascinated by how the amazing behaviors marine and aquatic animals do arise from the inner workings of their bodies and the physical laws that govern them. My interests include aquatic ecology and biomechanics, environmental change, STEM education, museums, and science communication. These interests drive my professional endeavors and lead me to target a range of scientific and educational problems. Outside the lab, I enjoy running, baking, gaming, drawing, and photography; I drew or took all uncredited images across the website, except for personnel photos.
  Image credits: Left: A. Hajji; Right: D. Kennedy

Current lab members

Duncan Kennedy, MSc student

duncan.kennedy1 [at] ucalgary.ca

Duncan researches the pectoral fins of chimaeras - an ancient group of cartilaginous fishes closely related to sharks, skates, and rays. He built a fin-flapping robot to mimic their unique locomotion and to uncover the relationship between pectoral fin morphology, movement, and force production from an ecological perspective. Before starting a master's degree in biomechanics, Duncan received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Calgary.

Angelina Hajji, MSc student

angelina.hajji [at] ucalgary.ca

Angelina is currently interested in investigating human stressors on marine ecosystems and animals. Outside of academia, she is the founder of Keep The Earth Fresh (a nonprofit environmental organization) and is deeply committed to educating the public, building a community, and fostering conservation and sustainability efforts.
https://www.keeptheearthfresh.org/​

Michael Chung, MSc student

michael.chung1 [at] ucalgary.ca

Michael is interested in the functional morphology and biomechanics of fishes and how these incredibly diverse organisms interact with the physical world around us. He currently studies the relationship between body shape, temperature, and life stage on swimming performance in the Threespine Stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus). He is also interested in ecology, physiology, and energetics, and how they can not only survive, but even thrive in extreme environments like the deep-sea or polar regions. When not in the lab, he enjoys cooking, weightlifting, and gaming.

Mohib Sherbaz, Undergraduate

Mohib is deeply enamored with the intricate tapestry of fishes in our aquatic ecosystem and is on a quest to study the biomechanics of their movement, and potentially, contribute ideas to safeguard their vital habitats. Currently, he is in his fourth year pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences with a concentration in Biodiversity and Conservation with a focus on aquatic ecology. His research centers around a comparative study of various Chimaera species, focusing on the movements of their pectoral fins. Mohib is determined to unveil the connections between the biomechanics and ecology surrounding these enigmatic and mysterious creatures!

Emily Duan, Undergraduate

Julie Siemens, Undergraduate

Shreya Pillai, Undergraduate

Current advisees

Davis Dickson, BSc (2023-2024). Honors supervisor: W. Herzog

Lab alumni

Christinne Falguera, BSc (2023)