A new project in the lab seeks to use new phylogenetic comparative methods to study diversification in microbial biofilms. Evolutionary diversification in biofilms has important medical consequences; we seek to test hypotheses about this diversification using a variety of statistical models. This work is supported by NIH and in collaboration with IBEST and the Forney lab here at the University of Idaho)

We are studying the dynamics of speciation, extinction, and phenotypic change through time. This work is in collaboration with NCEAS and the Alfaro lab at Washington State University.

Adaptive radiation has played a key role in the diversification of life on Earth. We are interested in uncovering common patterns among groups that are undergoing adaptive radiation. This work is currently focused on comparing two groups of lizards, anoles (Anolis) in the Caribbean and day geckos (Phelsuma) in the Indian Ocean.

We are working on a project using an experiment to determine the effects of speciation and ecological diversification on ecoystem function. Our experiment used three-spined stickleback fish. This work is in collaboration with the Schluter and Shurin labs at the University of British Columbia.

We are interested in extending current comparative methods in a number of ways, including analyzing multivariate data (in collaboration with Liam Revell at Harvard), incorporating incomplete sampling (in collaboration with Dan Rabosky at Cornell and Jonathan Davies at NCEAS), and fitting new models of trait evolution.

Hubbell's neutral theory has generated recent attention in ecology. The model also makes phylogenetic predictions that I think are testible using comparative methods. We are working on applying this model to data from adaptive radiations at a number of scales, from birds (in collaboration with Jason Weir at the University of Chicago) to biofilms (see above).