Professional Bio
Daniel is an Assistant Professor at Vanderbilt University in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Vanderbilt Brain Institute. His research group develops state-of-the-art brain-computer interfaces and studies the neural computations underlying neuroprosthetic control.
Daniel attended university in his hometown of San Angelo, Texas and graduated from Angelo State University in 2013 with a BS in Physics. He then attended Rice University and earned a PhD in Applied Physics in 2019. His graduate work was with Professor Jacob T. Robinson in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, where he developed micro- and nano-scale tools for monitoring electrophysiology and behavior in millimeter-sized animals.
For his postdoctoral training, Daniel worked with Professors Krishna Jayant and Scott Pluta at Purdue University in the Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Biological Sciences. While there, he focused on leveraging flexible, transparent neural interfaces combined with multiphoton imaging to study the circuit mechanisms underlying cortical traveling waves. His work has shed light on how traveling waves modulate translaminar cortical circuits during sensory processing.
Daniel’s work has been recognized by several institutions, including the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Burroughs Wellcome Fund, and National Science Foundation.
On a More Personal Note
I was raised in a low-income, Hispanic household in rural West Texas, where I was taught the value of family, faith, humility, kindness, and education. As a first-generation college student, the idea of becoming a scientist one day was unimaginable. However, I have arrived where I am today through a support system rooted in family, a series of empowering mentors, and a little bit of luck.
The joy and purpose I find in my family far surpasses anything I could ever find in science. My family includes my wife, two wild boys, a baby girl, three dogs, a bunch of chickens, and a duck. Our days are filled with adventure, exploration, soccer, and DIY projects.
My goals as a scientist are to push the boundaries of knowledge through creativity, excellence, and rigor. However, my career achievements would mean nothing to me if they came at the cost of my core values.
Halloween 2024
Fall 2024
Squad
2024 VINSE summer picnic
Soccer coach extraordinaire summer 2023
Everything about this picture is perfect
They are so beautiful I can't handle it
Paddle boarding in Washington St
First fishing trip with the boys
She's better and fishing than me
Scarlett Grace has entered the family
We got 10" of snow this day
Some of the chickens
Action shot of the truck
Me in my true form
Drinking whiskey and sitting outside counts as a hobby
What a beauty
First day of school
She's putting me to work
Teaching them to drive the tractor
Peak COVID 2020 we did a family boat race at the creek
My whole family
Sunset