About Us / Our Team
Dr. Yash Sondhi,
Principal INvestigator
Yash Sondhi is a wildlife researcher studying how moths and butterflies see the world, and specifically how moth eyes and brains adapted to function so well under dim light. He started his journey in India exploring moth biodiversity in Western Ghats and the Himalayas. He completed his Ph.D. in Florida, where he used genetics, animal behavior, and neuroscience to examine how different day and night flying insects’ senses (sight, hearing, smell) have evolved. He now runs the Sense Lab focused on how sensory environments are changing. A key area of his research is the ever-increasing artificial light at night, which is slowly eroding dark skies with disastrous consequences for animals, plants, and humans. Understanding how different mitigation strategies work is critical and thus the lab studies how light disrupts insect activity, and tests strategies to mitigate light pollution. He also helps with citizen science and insect biodiversity monitoring efforts and promoting low cost science.
Email: yxs1621@case.edu
Dr. Kate Otter,
Post-Doctoral Scholar
Kate Otter is a postdoctoral scholar broadly interested in how sensory biology shapes interspecies interactions. She completed her PhD from University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2025 where she studied hunger-dependent predatory decision making in a sea slug using quantitative behavioral, molecular neuroanatomical, and phylogenetic approaches. In the SENSE lab she works on stereo high-speed imaging of insect flight in relation to artificial light at night, developing and implementing analysis pipelines for 3D flight trajectory data collected in the field, and fluorescence labeling of mRNA and gene products using HCR and IHC. She is currently interested in how predators such as mantids and orb weavers may be leveraging artificial light at night to capture prey.
Email: kx0233@case.edu
Kritagnya Vadar,
Phd Student
Kritagnya Vadar is a PhD student in Biology at Case Western Reserve University. She is interested in wildlife conservation, sensory ecology, and evolutionary biology. She has previously worked in India on carnivores and ticks, focusing on population genetics, foraging ecology, and disease ecology. She enjoys being in the wild and is especially fond of fieldwork. In the SENSE Lab, her research focuses on how artificial light at night (ALAN) and climate change influence moth flight, vision, and community dynamics. Outside of research, she enjoys hiking and practicing martial arts!
Email: kvh15@case.edu
Kendall Myers,
Phd Student
Kendall Myers is a Biology PhD student at Case Western Reserve University. Her background is in evolutionary biology and insect functional morphology, and she is broadly interested in lepidopteran proboscis evolution and development, feeding and foraging behaviors, conservation, and imaging techniques. Outside of the lab she enjoys reading, gardening, and exploring the outdoors.
Email: kom14@case.edu
Quentin Flattmann,
Undergraduate Researcher
Quentin Flattmann is a Senior B.S. Biology w/ English Minor student. Outside of this lab, Quentin does computational biology research in a plant genetics lab at CWRU. Quentin made a tool called DoveTailor for the assembly of dynamic mitochondrial genomes and hopes to extend its use for other dynamic structures such as extrachromosomal DNAs.
Lauren Weber,
Undergraduate Researcher
Lauren Weber is an undergraduate Biology student at Baldwin Wallace University, with a background in computer science, who is hoping to pursue a future career in Entomology. She grew up in Strongsville, Ohio, and has always enjoyed the outdoors with hobbies like hiking and observing any plant, animal, or fungus she can find. Outside of her interests in biology and nature she enjoys singing in choir, embroidery, sewing, and drawing. Lauren is eager to assist in fieldwork and research to learn more about moths and insects.
Madeline Greco,
Undergraduate Researcher
Madeline Greco is an undergrad in Mathematics She is working on analyzing the evolution of elaboration and sexual dimorphism in moth antennae. Outside of school she enjoys video games, reading, working for the student radio, and going to concerts.
Sanskar Lohchab,
Undergraduate Researcher
Sanskar Lohchab is an undergraduate sophomore studying biology at Case Western Reserve University. He is interested in ecology, data tracking, and biological systems of moths in relation to light. His work in Sense Lab will revolve around the software and hardware dynamics of 3D high-speed cameras, including fieldwork data collection and data imaging. He enjoys hiking, playing sports, and traveling.
Aarushi Bhardwaj,
Undergraduate Researcher
Aarushi Bhardwaj is currently a second year systems biology and psychology student. She is looking at the impact of artificial light at night on firefly communication and synchronization. Aarushi is interested in computational biology, public health, and ecology!
Shriya Kalluri,
Undergraduate Researcher
Shriya Kalluri is an undergraduate student at CWRU studying neuroscience and environmental studies. She is especially interested in studying evolution, adaptation, and how sense perception impacts behavior in changing environments. Outside of the lab, she enjoys music and theater and is a pianist for CWRU’s improv comedy troupe. Shriya also loves hiking and spending time outside, and is excited to pursue more fieldwork!
Yuan Dong,
Undergraduate Researcher
Yuan Dong is an undergraduate student double majoring in electrical engineering and physics. He is from Austin, TX, and came to Cleveland to escape the scorching heat. In the lab, he works in interdisciplinary teams to develop software and hardware solutions for this lab in controlled and outdoor environments. He is in the Case Rocket Team and Case Liquid Propulsion Team, and is currently learning how to design PCBs for the eventual goal of creating his own flight computer. He also enjoys baking, playing soccer, pickleball, and piano, and folding origami.
Arushi Phukan,
Undergraduate Researcher
Arushi Phukan is an undergraduate studying neuroscience and psychology at CWRU. She is from Sheffield Lake, OH, and plans to attend medical school after graduation. She is interested in evolutionary biology, behavior, and perception. Outside of the lab, she is a captain of the Spartan Dance Team and enjoys hiking, reading, and baking!
Varsha Lyengar,
Undergraduate Researcher
Varsha Iyengar is an undergraduate Neuroscience student at CWRU. Her research interests lie in neurobiology and evolutionary biology, with a particular focus on temporal regulation in moths. When she isn’t working in the lab, Varsha enjoys singing and doing puzzles. In the future, she wishes to pursue a career in medicine.
Nirvan Monangi,
Undergraduate Researcher
Nirvan Monangi is an undergraduate researcher majoring in Neuroscience at CWRU. He is interested in CT imaging research and studying the behavioral patterns of moths, with a broader passion for wanting to understand how biology and behavior intersect. Outside of the lab, Nirvan enjoys traveling, having spent a semester abroad. He also loves to stay active through basketball and golf.