About Dr. Candido Diaz Jr.
Raised by proud civil servants, I am a first-generation college graduate who discovered my love of animals at a young age. My academic passion has always bounced between physics and biology, ultimately obtaining a degree in Physics and Astronomy from Vassar College. I was lucky enough to conduct acoustics research during my undergrad but then found the call of biology too strong. I then had the honor of working with Dr. John Long and Dr. Marianne Porter on the material properties of shark vertebrae and a new love was found. I am a Ecomechanist who travels into the field to study the material properties of the glue produced by rare spiders to capture moths. At heart, I love evolutionary specialist animals and weird things they are able to do. These amazing spiders use a combination of strange web structure, pheromones, and a special silk glue to retain hard to catch prey. Follow my links below to learn about the research done by me and the Glue Crew.
In my spare time, I am an artist and author. I use art to help guide and support my writing, often combining the two for effect. I am in the process of finishing two novels (collections of short stories) set in my Dreams from Tomorrow universe. Below you can find links to some of my creative projects.
FAQ:
Yes, I would love to be Spider-man, and yes, he is my favorite superhero.
Science
Social Media
Spider Silk Research
My research takes many forms, as the glue produced by spiders is highly complex and needs to be analyzed by integrating many disciplines. My lab uses high-speed videography, biomechanics, genomics, and chemical analysis techniques to understand the properties of these glues from DNA to their use in prey capture. Learn more about our techniques.
Art and Novels
Social Media
Novels
A miracle drug, Rejuvveron, keeps everyone alive forever but all is not perfect. Demons and spirits surround us, ready to take advantage of innocent souls. Do you think if you lived long enough you would finally see the monsters that surround us? See art and read summaries of my short stories set in the Dreams from Tomorrow universe.
