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Michael N. Dawson

Michael N. Dawson
Professional Title: 
Professor, Life and Environmental Sciences
Phone: 
(209) 228-4056
Office: 
Sustainability Research and Engineering, Room 251
Lab
Lab Location: 
Sustainability Research and Engineering, Room 252
Education: 
Ph.D., 2000 - University of California, Los Angeles
M.S., 1994 - University of York, England
B.S., 1993 - University of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England
Research Interests: 

Millions of species demonstrate that evolution happens, but few illuminate the process. Professor Dawson's lab focuses on elucidating the origins, maintenance, and loss of marine biodiversity, from molecular to ecosystem levels. His specific interests are:

 

  • How molecular variation explains and causes differences between individuals, populations, species, and higher taxa
  • How the environment shapes and is shaped by genetic, organismal, population, and community variation

His lab's work scales from micro- to macro-evolution and integrates biological and physical sciences. Topic areas include:

  • Adaptation, ecological genetics and evolutionary ecology
  • Population genetics, phylogeography, biogeography and phylogenetics
  • Speciation, systematics and taxonomy
  • Behavior and morphology
  • Climate change, invasive species and marine protected areas
Interdisciplinary/Multidisciplinary Group: 
Environmental Sciences