About

Leadership Team

Headshot of Nathan Morehouse

Nathan Morehouse

Biological Sciences, Director

513-556-9757

Dr. Morehouse's research group studies how animals see the world and make decisions based on what they can see about who to mate with, what to eat, and where to go. He is also interested in biomimicry and collaborations between science and the arts.

Headshot of Elke Buschbeck

Elke Buschbeck

Biological Sciences, Working Group Lead

513-556-9747

Dr. Buschbeck’s research focuses on the development and evolution of arthropod visual systems. Insights from her work have inspired engineers to design micro-cameras and night-vision gear that are fundamentally different from conventional models.

Headshot of Tony Chemero

Tony Chemero

Philosophy & Psychology, Interdisciplinary Research Lead

513-556-6324

Dr. Chemero is a member of the Center for Cognition, Action, and Perception and the Strange Tools Research Lab. He focuses on questions related to nonlinear dynamical modeling, ecological psychology, complex systems, phenomenology & social cognition.

Headshot of Ming Tang

Ming Tang

Architecture and Interior Design, Emerging Technologies & Partnerships Lead

513-556-1856

Ming Tang’s work focuses on developing immersive technologies for human perception, interaction, and behavior study toward the built environment. He leads the Extended Reality (XR) Lab and supports XR applications in design, education, & healthcare.

Headshot of Ali Minai

Ali Minai

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

513-556-4783

Dr. Minai's research areas are AI, complex systems, computational neuroscience, and computational models of cognition, with a recent focus on natural language processing, human creativity, and bio-inspired models of place learning and navigation.

Headshot of Drielly Queiroga

Drielly Queiroga

Sensory Ecology and Evolution, Postdoctoral Associate & Program Manager

Dr. Queiroga's research focuses on the Ecology, Behavior, and Sensory Biology of Neotropical arthropods, such as insects and spiders. Recently, she has been studying the evolution of color vision in neotropical jumping spiders.

Headshot of Jay Arns

Jay Arns

Department of English, Graduate Assistant

Jay S. Arns is a doctoral candidate in the Department of English at the University of Cincinnati. His research interests include the rhetoric of science, composition pedagogy, disability studies, conspiracy theories, and film studies.

Headshot of Vesna Novak

Vesna Novak

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Dr. Novak's research explores biomedical applications of human-machine interaction. Her specific research topics include serious games, affective computing, rehabilitation robotics, wearable robotics, and human motion analysis.

Vision Statement

The Institute for Research in Sensing (IRiS) unites disciplines at UC and beyond to design, create, and integrate the sensors of tomorrow, while deepening our fundamental understanding of how the many sensors—natural and engineered—shape life.  In broadening the sphere of what can be sensed, and thereby known, IRiS is also guided by questions of what ought to be known, and how such information should be used.

Mission Statement

The Institute for Research in Sensing (IRiS) will move beyond traditional boundaries by 1) fostering interdisciplinary crosstalk on sensing research through innovative intellectual exchanges and social events, 2) transforming education on sensing across all career stages by cultivating transdisciplinary coursework and immersive training fellowships, 3) incubating avant-garde research teams to solve challenging problems in sensing via purposeful integration of science, engineering, the humanities, and the arts, and 4) enhancing public understanding of the science of sensing and the impact of sensors in daily life through community engagement and outreach.

IRiS Partner Organizations

Kroger
The logo of the Clovernook Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired, which includes a green, three-leafed clover.
Niosh
United States Environmental Protection Agency

Former Leadership Team Members

  • Ryan White, Chemistry
  • Holly Bante, College of Medicine
  • Cassandra Jones, Africana Studies
  • Peter Langland-Hassan, Philosophy
  • Tamara Lorenz, Psychology
  • Neşe Devenot, Postdoctoral Associate & Program Manager
  • Audrey Pumford, Graduate Assistant
  • Dominique Tanner, Biomedical Engineering
  • Cynthia Treacy, A&S Grants Office

Former Industry Partners

  • P&G (2021-22)
  • Clovernook Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired (2022-23)