Matthew Travert is a Ph.D. candidate in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Kansas. His research focus is the evolution of life cycles in the group Medusozoa, which includes jellyfish and hydroids. He aims to understand how the regulation and evolution of jellyfish genomes has shaped the diversity of their life cycles. Matthew grew up in Paris, France and after spending time in the south of France he was introduced to the mauve stinger jellyfish and their fascinating development. He then joined the University of Kansas in 2018 to study the peculiar life cycle of the “caviar jellyfish.” He is now focusing on the mechanisms responsible for the diversification of the life cycle and development of jellyfish in the Cartwright lab.
Matthew is one of three preshow speakers who will present before our Science on Screen showing of Gremlins on December 2nd. He will share how one of the three rules of the Mogwai can relate to real life biology.
