Sheila N. Patek
Sheila N. Patek | |
|---|---|
| Born | Sheila Nadine Patek |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Harvard University (A.B.), Duke University (Ph.D.) |
| Known for | Research on ultrafast animal movements |
| Awards | Guggenheim Fellowship (2015), NSF CAREER Award, George A. Bartholomew Award |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Biomechanics, Evolutionary biology |
| Institutions | Duke University |
Sheila Nadine Patek is an American biologist and professor at Duke University, specializing in the biomechanics and evolutionary biology of rapid movements in animals. She serves as the Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Experimental Biology.[1]
Education and career
[edit]Patek earned her A.B. in Biology from Harvard University and her Ph.D. in Biology from Duke University.[2] She conducted postdoctoral research at the University of California, Berkeley, before joining the faculty at Duke University, where she leads the Patek Lab in the Department of Biology.
Research
[edit]Patek's research focuses on the mechanics and evolutionary biology of ultrafast movements in animals. Her work on mantis shrimp revealed that their appendages can strike with extreme speed and force, producing cavitation bubbles that contribute to their powerful impact.[3] She has also studied the rapid jaw movements of trap-jaw ants and the sound production mechanisms in spiny lobsters.
Honors and awards
[edit]Patek has received several honors, including:
- Guggenheim Fellowship in Organismic Biology & Ecology (2015)[4]
- NSF CAREER Award
- George A. Bartholomew Award from the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology
Public engagement
[edit]In 2007, Patek delivered a TED Talk titled "The shrimp with a kick!" discussing her research on the mantis shrimp's rapid strike.[5] She has also contributed essays and appeared in media discussions emphasizing the importance of basic scientific research.[6]
Selected publications
[edit]- Patek, S. N. (2015). "The Most Powerful Movements in Biology." American Scientist, 103(5), 330–337.[3]
- Biewener, A. A., & Patek, S. N. (2018). Animal Locomotion. Oxford University Press.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ Patek, Sheila N. (2023). "JEB@100: an interview with Deputy Editor-in-Chief Sheila Patek". Journal of Experimental Biology. 226 (13): jeb246250. Bibcode:2023JExpB.226B6250.. doi:10.1242/jeb.246250.
- ^ "Sheila Patek". Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University.
- ^ a b Patek, Sheila N. (2015). "The Most Powerful Movements in Biology". American Scientist. 103 (5): 330–337. doi:10.1511/2015.116.330.
- ^ "Sheila Patek". John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation.
- ^ "Sheila Patek: The shrimp with a kick!". TED. 5 April 2007.
- ^ "Essay: Why research for the pure sake of knowing is enough". PBS NewsHour.[dead link]
- ^ Biewener, Andrew A.; Patek, Sheila N. (2018). Animal Locomotion. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780198743163.
External links
[edit]- Patek Lab at Duke University
- Sheila N. Patek publications indexed by Google Scholar
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 | This article needs additional or more specific categories. (April 2025) |