Our Team
Dr. Mark Jankauski
Dr. Mark Jankauski is an Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering at Montana State University. He received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from University of Washington in 2017 under the guidance of Steve Shen, and his BS in Mechanical Engineering from University of Arizona in 2011. His expertise is in dynamical systems, vibrations and theoretical/experimental mechanics. He is interested in animal and plant biomechanics and bio-inspired design. In his free time, Dr. Jankauski enjoys hiking, snowboarding, white water kayaking and other outdoor pursuits with his family.
Cailin Casey
Cailin is a fourth year Mechanical Engineering PhD student. She graduated with a B.A in Biology and Spanish and a minor in mathematics from Gettysburg College. She leverages her cross disciplinary studies to understand the role of the thorax cuticle in insect flight by examining its microscale properties (in the Heveran Lab) and performing macroscale mechanical testing (in the Jankauski lab). She is supported by the prestigious National Science Foundation GRFP.
Braden Cote
Braden is a third year Mechanical Engineering PhD student. He graduated from Gonzaga University in 2020 with a BS in Mechanical Engineering. His research focuses on the system level modeling of flying insects. He is developing comprehensive dynamic models to describe the behavior of the flight mechanism as a whole, synthesizing previously compartmentalized work that studied the various components of the flight mechanism (i.e. thorax, wing, and wing hinge). After graduating Braden hopes to spend time as a post doc then return to the robotics or aerospace industry in an R&D role, possibly start his own aerial robotics company.
Mitch Alvord
Mitch is a second year Mechanical Engineering MS student.
Joe Reade
Joe is a 6th year PhD student. He graduated in 2018 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Montana State University. His research is focused on low-order modeling of flexible wing structural dynamics and aerodynamics.
Jenna McNally
Jenna is a senior and undergraduate researcher in the Bio-Inspired Dynamics Laboratory.
Rajon (aka Ray) is a 13 year old certified good boy. He has served as the lab manager of the Bio-Inspired Dynamics laboratory for over 6 years, and enjoys hikes, treats, meeting with graduate students and belly rubs.
Rajon Jankauski
Alumni
PhD
Ryan Schwab
Heidi Reid
Chris Lange
Montana Marks
MS
Trevor Brown
Claire Yager
Josef Matuska
Colton Windorski
Riggs Ferguson
Samuel Weston
Quinn Burford
Mario Cacciola