Jason T Vance
BSc (2000, University of Oregon)
MSc (2003, University of Nevada, Las Vegas)

Ph.D. Graduate Student

Background
I earned my BSc in Exercise and Movement Science (now: Human Physiology) and MSc in Kinesiology with Dr. John Mercer, where I studied loci of attenuation of impact shock during running. My research interests focus on the biomechanics of locomotion, which lead me to an opportunity for doctoral studies with Dr. Stephen Roberts in Biological Sciences at UNLV. I currently study the kinematics, biomechanics, and aerodynamics which underlie insect flight; specifically, I am working to describe the strategies employed by honey bees (Apis mellifera) to accommodate aerodynamic challenges.

How do Hovering Insects Augment Aerodynamic Force Production?
The flapping aerofoils of hovering insects produce aerodynamic force through several mechanisms, which include delayed stall, rotational lift, and wake capture. These non-steady aerodynamics have only recently been elucidated in the small fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster), and the predominance of certain aerodynamic mechanisms appear to differ across species. The European honeybee, Apis mellifera, is an ideal model for the study of insect flight within the context of aerodynamic challenges as they demonstrate impressive aerodynamic reserve capacity above that required for normal hovering during tasks such as: rapid ascension, pollen, nectar, and water-borne flight, and undertaking (picking up a dead bee, flying off and dropping it away from the hive).

Currently, my research investigates honeybee hovering within the context of changes in atmospheric density and temperature. I use mixtures of Nitrogen, Helium, Sulfur Hexafluoride and Oxygen to create hypo, hyper, and normodense atmospheres relative to sea level air, while remaining normoxic. Ambient temperature can also be manipulated to constrain locomotor performance. Wingbeat frequency is independent of aerodynamic load but varies inverse to ambient temperature and is a mechanism of thermoregulation in these small endothermic bees. By using temperature to constrain wingbeat frequency in conjunction with variable-density atmospheres, mechanisms that augment aerodynamic force output can be described.

The purpose of this research is to describe the range of accommodation strategies available to the honeybee and to elucidate possible gross physiological and biomechanical limitations (e.g. wingbeat frequency and/or wing stroke amplitude, respectively). This information is useful for understanding the aerodynamics that underlie insect flight in dynamic environments; additionally, this research is applicable to the design and development of micro-aerial vehicles, which would benefit from the implementation of locomotor patterns and strategies that allow hovering flight across altitudinal gradients and/or in novel atmospheres different than that on Earth.

Curriculum Vitae