Mark is a fifth year PhD Candidate in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology. He is interested in the evolutionary underpinnings of anatomical diversity across the tree of life. Through his dissertation work, he seeks to understand how and when mammalian ancestors evolved limbs oriented underneath their bodies rather than sprawled out to the side, as is the case for most other terrestrial vertebrates. His passion for movement and locomotion extends to his personal life where he can often be found running lengthy distances or scaling rock walls at the local climbing gym.