I wanted to become a biologist since I had a first look at a dinosaur skeleton when I was a child. Since then interests changed a bit in detail but the main question that still strikes me is: how does form serve function and what can we learn from both?

During my time as a student at the universities of Marburg and Cologne I found it most fascinating to analyse and understand complex biological systems. Neural networks are extremely complex. They perform what seem to be simple tasks to generate behaviour. But a closer look reveals that they take into account numerous parameters of the animal's state and environment. This turns a simple task to a very complex one which is solved in an astonishing way to assure survival - human technology (like cybernetics) is far behind such performances in many aspects.

To learn how such performances can be achieved I focus on systems that integrate sensory input to then generate an adequate behaviour like a frog reacting to another frogs call by calling - the superordinate concept of my diploma thesis.

In my current studies I want to reveal how a zebrafinch uses optic flow for navigation and compare my findings to those found in a completely different species which is also known to rely on optic flow, a fly (see Department of Neurobiology). So my studies lead to finding either basic principles or two completely different ways to make use of optic flow for flight navigation.

Publications:

• Eckmeier, D (2010) Optic Flow in Behavior and Brain Function of the Zebra Finch, Dissertation, Bielefeld University


• Eckmeier D, Geurten BRH, Kress D, Mertes M, Kern R, Egelhaaf M, Bischof HJ (2008) Gaze Strategy in the Free Flying Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata). PLoS ONE 3(12): e3956. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0003956


• Eckmeier D, Bischof HJ (2008) The optokinetic response in wild type and white zebra finches. J Comp Physiol A 194(10): 871-878.