Student Profiles

Robert graduated from Boston University with dual degrees in Physics and Mathematics. As an undergraduate, he worked on the development of a prototype neutrino detector at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), where he developed an interest in hands-on research.

Through his coursework, Robert learned that physical and mathematical tools can be applied to biomedical systems, and he realized he could leverage his background in physics and mathematics to help uncover questions in biomedical research, where quantitative approaches are becoming increasingly valuable.

To pursue his interest in hands-on research and the intersection of mathematical methods and biomedical science, he joined the NIH as a postbac, developing neural networks to quantitatively model platelet and organelle structures within blood clots.

He is now pursuing a DPhil, jointly mentored by the Fogarty International Center, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and the University of Oxford. His research focuses on developing novel mathematical and computational models to better understand infectious disease dynamics and evolution. He is co-mentored by Dr. Cécile Viboud (FIC DIEPS), Dr. Leah Katzelnick (NIAID LID), and Professor Robin Thompson (Oxford Mathematical Institute).