Faculty

Core, Associate and Adjunct Faculty

Core Faculty are members of the Graduate Faculty at Texas A&M University. Core faculty teach EEB module courses and also serve as committee chairs for EEB students. A list of faculty research themes can be found here and are also listed under each core faculty member’s interest in the list below. Other information about Core Faculty can be found in the bylaws.

Core Faculty​

	Jaime Alvarado-Bremer Professor Marine Biology Dept Profile	Conservation and population genetics of large pelagic fishes conservation biology/restoration ecology evolutionary genomics phylogenetics & comparative biology population & quantitative genetics
	Sanjay Antony-Babu Assistant Professor Plant Pathology & Microbiology Dept Profile Lab Website	Plant-microbe interactions community ecology
	Anna Armitage Professor & Interim Dept Head Marine Biology Dept Profile Lab Website	Coastal ecosystem ecology and management of restored and impacted habitats conservation biol/restoration ecology ecosystems/landscape ecology community ecology
	Giri Athrey Associate Professor Associate Dept Head for Undergraduate Education, Avian Genetics & Functional Genomics Poultry Science Dept Profile Lab Website	Quantitative genetics and functional genomics, birds and disease vectors evolutionary genomics population & quantitative genetics population ecology ecosystems/landscape ecology
	Ian Ausprey Assistant Professor Ecology & Conservation Biology Dept Profile Lab Website	Functional & demographic mechanisms underlying biodiversity change across environmental and Anthropogenic disturbance gradients community ecology conservation biol/restoration ecology ecosystems/landscape ecology phylogenetics & comparative biology physiological ecology population ecology
	David Bapst Instructional Assistant Professor Geology & Geophysics Dept Profile	Paleobiology, morphological systematics, macroevolution, fossil record of marine invertebrates phylogenetics & comparative biology community ecology evolutionary ecology
	Perry Barboza           Professor Ecology & Conservation Biology Dept Profile Lab Website	Consequences of life history and environmental change on the nutrition of wild mammals; policies for conservation of wildlife physiological ecology
	Spencer Behmer Professor Entomology Dept Profile Lab Website	Insect physiology and behavior, including their ecological and evolutionary bases behavioral ecology physiological ecology
	Christina Belanger Assistant Professor Geology & Geophysics Dept Profile	Biotic responses to environmental change; paleoecology; paleoenvironments community ecology ecosystems/landscape ecology conservation biology/restoration ecology evolutionary ecology
	Heath Blackmon        Associate Professor & Associate Dept Head of Graduate Studies Biology Dept Profile Lab Website	Evolutionary genomics, quantitative genetics, character evolution, and applied phylogenetics evolutionary genomics phylogenetics & comparative biology population & quantitative genetics
	Donald Brightsmith Professor Veterinary Pathobiology Dept Profile Website TAMU Experts	Ecology and conservation of macaws and parrots behavioral ecology community ecology conservation biology/restoration ecology population ecology
	Chris Butler          Instructional Associate Professor Biology Dept Profile	Effects of climate change on the phenology and distribution of organisms community ecology conservation biology/restoration ecology population ecology
	James Cai Associate Professor Veterinary Integrative Biosciences Dept Profile Lab Website	Evolutionary biology and physiology, with emphasis on evolution of complex phenotypes evolutionary genomics population & quantitative genetics
	Claudio Casola     Associate Professor Ecology & Conservation Biology Dept Profile Lab Website	Evolutionary genomics of genes and transposable elements in conifers evolutionary genomics
	Thomas Chappell          Assistant Professor Plant Pathology & Microbiology Lab Website Dept Profile	Epidemiology, ecology, and coevolution of plant-enemy systems evolutionary ecology community ecology population ecology
	Kevin Conway Associate Professor & Curator of Fishes Ecology & Conservation Biology Dept Profile Lab Website	Systematic ichthyology; phylogenetic and comparative anatomy of ray-finned fishes phylogenetics & comparative biology
	Charles Criscione Professor & Associate Dean, Graduate and Professional School Biology Dept Profile Lab Website	Population genetics of metazoan parasites evolutionary ecology evolutionary genomics population & quantitative genetics
	Brian Davis Assistant Professor Veterinary Integrative Biosciences Veterinary Pathobiology Dept Profile	Genomic variation in post-domestication/wild populations and heritable disease implications; heritable disease in domestic and wild mammals, post-domestication genome structural evolution, X chromosome inactivation, evolutionary pressures on neoplastic transformation. Founder, Exotic Genome Repository evolutionary genomics population & quantitative genetics
	Darryl de Ruiter Professor & Dept Head Anthropology Dept Profile TAMU Experts	Ecology and evolution of the human lineage, with a particular focus on origin of genus Homo phylogenetics & comparative biology
	Rusty Feagin Professor Ecology & Conservation Biology Dept Profile Lab Website	Responses of beach, dune, and wetland ecosystems to global change conservation biology/restoration ecology ecosystems/landscape ecology
	Lee Fitzgerald Professor & Curator Ecology & Conservation Biology Co-director, ABS Dept Profile Lab Website	Mechanisms underlying persistence and disappearance of species and communities community ecology conservation biology/restoration ecology ecosystems/landscape ecology evolutionary ecology population ecology
	Courtney Fitzpatrick Assistant Professor Biology Dept Profile Lab Website	Influence of social environments on trait evolution evolutionary ecology population ecology
	Vivienne Foroughirad Assistant Professor Marine Biology Dept Profile Lab Website	Behavioral ecology and genetics of cetaceans behavioral ecology population ecology population & quantitative genetics
	Masami Fujiwara Associate Professor Associate Deptment Head, Graduate & Undergraduate Programs Ecology & Conservation Biology Dept Profile Lab Website	Effects of life history variation on population and community dynamics; statistical ecology; theoretical ecology population ecology
	Katy Gonder            Professor & Dept Head Ecology & Conservation Biology Dept Profile	Spatial biodiversity patterns, conservation strategies, evolutionary and ecological mechanisms contributing to diversity. population ecology evolutionary ecology
	Jacquelyn Grace       Assistant Professor Ecology & Conservation Biology Dept Profile Lab Website	Ecophysiology and behavior of birds behavioral ecology physiological ecology
	Sharon Gursky         Professor Biology Anthropology Program Coordinator Anthropology Dept Profile	Behavioral ecology and conservation of non-human primates behavioral ecology evolutionary ecology population ecology
	Gabriel Hamer            Professor Entomology Dept Profile Lab Website	Ecology of infectious diseases of humans, wild animals, and domestic animals community ecology ecosystems/landscape ecology population ecology
	Sarah Hamer Professor Director, Schubot Center Richard Schubot Endowed Chair & Associate Wildlife Biologist® Veterinary Integrative Biosciences Dept Profile Lab Website TAMU Experts	Ecology and epidemiology of wildlife disease community ecology ecosystems/landscape ecology
	Anjel Helms Assistant Professor Entomology Dept Profile Lab Website	Chemical ecology, tritrophic and plant-herbivore interactions behavioral ecology evolutionary ecology physiological ecology
	Luis Hurtado-Clavijo  Associate Professor Ecology & Conservation Biology Dept Profile	Evolutionary origins, patterns and maintenance of biodiversity conservation biology/restoration ecology evolutionary ecology evolutionary genomics phylogenetics & comparative biology population & quantitative genetics
	Phillip Kaufman Professor & Dept Head Entomology Dept Profile Lab Website	Veterinary and livestock entomology, insecticide resistance, biological control, integrated pest management community ecology population ecology
	Sheila Kitchen Assistant Professor Marine Biology Dept Profile Lab Website	Host-microbe interactions, comparative and functional genomics, coral reef conservation evolutionary ecology evolutionary genomics physiological ecology
	Michelle Lawing          Associate Professor Ecology & Conservation Biology Dept Profile Lab Website	Evolutionary responses of species and communites to environmental change community ecology conservation biology/restoration ecology ecosystems/landscape ecology phylogenetics & comparative biology
	Jessica Light Professor Curator of Mammals Ecology & Conservation Biology Dept Profile Lab Website	Evolutionary and ecological assessments of host-parasite associations evolutionary ecology phylogenetics & comparative biology population & quantitative genetics
	Christopher Marshall Professor Marine Biology Dept Profile Lab Website TAMU Experts	Comparative functional organismal biology and evolutionary adaptation evolutionary ecology physiological ecology
	Mariana Mateos Associate Professor Ecology & Conservation Biology Dept Profile Lab Website	Evolution of host-symbiont associations and phylogeography of freshwater organisms evolutionary ecology evolutionary genomics phylogenetics & comparative biology population & quantitative genetics
	Raul Medina               Professor Entomology Dept Profile Lab Website	Population genetic aspects of pest species and their natural enemies conservation biology evolutionary genomics phylogenetics & comparative biology population & quantitative genetics
	Christine Merlin Associate Professor & Presidential Impact Fellow Biology Dept Profile Lab Website	Circadian biology behavioral ecology
	Maria Pia Miglietta Associate Professor Marine Biology Dept Profile Lab Website	Evolution, genetics, and ecology of Hydrozoa (Cnidaria) evolutionary genomics phylogenetics & comparative biology
	Rachel Moran Assistant Professor Biology Dept Profile Lab Website	Behavioral research with genomic technologies to understand the adaptive and mechanistic underpinnings of species diversification behavioral ecology (integrative animal behavior) evolutionary ecology population & quantitative genetics evolutionary genomics
	Erick Motta Assistant Professor Entomology Dept Profile Lab Website	Ecology and evolution of insect-microbiome interactions, impact of environmental stressors on insect-associated microbiomes, honey bee microbiome community ecology evolutionary ecology physiological ecology population ecology
	William Murphy Professor & Asst Dean for Research and Graduate Studies Veterinary Integrative Biosciences Dept Profile Lab Website	Mammalian phylogenetics and evolutionary genomics evolutionary genomics phylogenetics & comparative biology
	Alan Pepper Professor Biology Dept Profile	Phenotypic plasticity and adaptive evolution in terrestrial plants conservation biology/restoration ecology evolutionary ecology evolutionary genomics phylogenetics & comparative biology physiological ecology population & quantitative genetics
	Josh Perkin Associate Professor Ecology & Conservation Biology Dept Profile Lab Website	Ecology and conservation of freshwater fishes; riverine landscape ecology community ecology conservation biology/restoration ecology ecosystems/landscape ecology
	Antonietta Quigg Sr. Assoc. VP Research & Grad. Studies, TAMUG Regents Professor Marine Biology Dept Profile Lab Website TAMU Experts	Elemental dynamics, physiology, and community ecology in coastal ecosystems community ecology ecosystems/landscape ecology physiological ecology
	Juliana Rangel Professor Entomology Dept Profile Lab Website	Apiculture; population, disease and reproductive biology of honey bees behavioral ecology (integrative animal behavior) physiological ecology population & quantitative genetics population ecology
	Anne Raymond Professor Geology & Geophysics Dept Profile	Plant paleoecology, paleobiogeography and evolutionary history community ecology conservation biology/restoration ecology evolutionary ecology phylogenetics & comparative biology
	Daniel Roelke Professor Marine Biology Dept Profile	Lower foodweb dynamics of aquatic ecosystems; interactions between biota and physicochemical environment community ecology population ecology
	William Rogers Professor Ecology & Conservation Biology Dept Profile Lab Website	Plant-animal interactions, population dynamics, community assembly rules, and ecological restoration community ecology conservation biology/restoration ecology ecosystems/landscape ecology
	Anja Schulze Professor & Asst Dept Head Marine Biology Dept Profile Lab Website	Species distributions, dispersal and local adaptation of marine invertebrates evolutionary genomics phylogenetics & comparative biology
	Michael Smotherman Professor Biology Dept Profile Lab Website	Physiology and evolution of vocal motor pathway in mammals behavioral ecology physiological ecology
	Hojun Song Professor Entomology Dept Profile Lab Website	Insect systematics; phylogenetics of orthopteran insects; phenotypic plasticity; character evolution behavioral ecology evolutionary genomics phylogenetics & comparative biology
	Daniel Spalink Assistant Professor Ecology & Conservation Biology Director, S.M. Tracy Herbarium Dept Profile Lab Website	Plant systematics and biogeography evolutionary ecology phylogenetics & comparative biology population & quantitative genetics
	Marie Strader          Assistant Professor Biology Dept Profile Lab Website	Marine molecular ecology focused on mechanisms of organismal responses to the environment evolutionary ecology evolutionary genomics physiological ecology
	Amanda Stronza Professor Ecology & Conservation Biology Co-director, ABS Dept Profile Website	Community-based conservation, human-wildlife conflict, sustainable development conservation biology/restoration ecology population ecology
	Gregory Sword          Regents Professor Charles R. Parencia Chair Entomology Dept Profile Lab Website	Insect, plant & microbial ecology behavioral ecology physiological ecology population & quantitative genetics population ecology
	Aaron Tarone Professor Associate Dept Head, Undergraduate Education Director, Forensic & Investigative Sciences Program Entomology Dept Profile Lab Website	Genomic studies of development and population biology in flies evolutionary genomics physiological ecology population & quantitative genetics
	Jeffery Tomberlin Professor AgriLife Research Fellow Presidential Impact Fellow Director, NSF Center for Environmental Sustainability Through Insect Farming Entomology Dept Profile Lab Website	Ecology and biology of flies associated with decomposing matter behavioral ecology community ecology physiological ecology
	Ed Vargo Professor & Endowed Chair Entomology Dept Profile Lab Website	Urban and structural entomology behavioral ecology population & quantitative genetics population ecology
	Joseph Veldman     Associate Professor Ecology & Conservation Biology Dept Profile Lab Website	Ecology of savannas and forests, fire ecology, tropical biology and conservation community ecology conservation biology/ restoration ecology ecosystems/landscape ecology
	Gary Voelker            Professor & Faculty Curator of Birds Ecology & Conservation Biology Dept Profile Lab Website	Systematics and biogeography of birds evolutionary ecology phylogenetics & comparative biology population & quantitative genetics
	Jason West Professor Ecology & Conservation Biology Dept Profile Lab Website	Terrestrial ecosystem ecology, plant-environment interactions, and global environmental change ecosystems/landscape ecology physiological ecology
	Mary Wicksten Professor Biology Dept Profile	Behavior, classification and ecology of decapod Crustacea, plus adaptive coloration in marine organisms behavioral ecology phylogenetics & comparative biology
	Brad Wilcox            Professor Ecology & Conservation Biology Dept Profile Lab Website	Understanding hydrologic processes on shrublands community ecology ecosystems/landscape ecology
	Kirk Winemiller University Distinguished Professor, Regents Professor, Faculty Fellow Ecology & Conservation Biology Dept Profile Lab Website	Ecology and evolution of fishes, community ecology, and aquatic ecosystems community ecology evolutionary ecology population ecology
	X. Ben Wu Professor Ecology & Conservation Biology Dept Profile Website	Landscape ecology and undergraduate ecology education ecosystems/landscape ecology
	Jessica Yorzinski        Associate Professor Ecology & Conservation Biology Dept Profile Lab Website	Animal behavior, sensory ecology, animal communication, conservation behavioral ecology (integrative animal behavior) evolutionary ecology

Associate Faculty

Associate Faculty are members of the Graduate Faculty at Texas A&M University, but they cannot serve as committee chairs for EEB students. Other information about Associate Faculty can be found in the bylaws.

Adjunct Faculty

Adjunct Faculty may co-advise students and serve on student committees, provided they are appointed to the TAMU graduate faculty. Other information about Adjunct Faculty can be found in the bylaws.