We are hiring!
If you are interested in phylogenetics and macroevolution, and would like to work on resolving difficult nodes with genome-scale datasets, place fossils on trees and explore what they can teach us about diversification and morphological change, or use simulations to explore the behavior of current methods, please reach out.
We are located in Fort Collins, CO, in the recently renovated Biology Department, and just a few miles away from breathtaking natural scenery
Latest News
Phylogenomics finally resolves the main structure of the crinoid tree of life
Crinoids (feather stars and sea lilies) are the last group of echinoderms to have a genome-scale phylogenetic resolution. Nothing more exciting than seeing a project over 10 years in the making finally come to fruition. Wonderful and unexpected results in terms of the morphological evolution and date of origin of major lineages that will hopefully help push the field forward. Made the cover too!
A Systematic Biology trifecta
The Society of Systematic Biologists (and its journal, Systematic Biology) have been the most powerful influences throughout my career. This January, I somehow managed to publish a paper in the journal, land the cover (of none other than the volume celebrating the journal’s 75th anniversary!), and become appointed an Associate Editor. If this is a dream, please do not wake me up :)
Registration opened for a new edition of the online course Morphological Phylogenetic
The online platform Transmitting Science is hosting the 8th edition of the course “Morphological Phylogenetics: Principles, Applications, and Techniques” which will run for three weeks in March 2026. Register here to catch up with the exciting state of the field of morphological phylogenetics, covering everything from character construction to tip dating under the FBD model, and combining theory with hand-on exercises that introduce available software.
Participation in the palaeoverse Seminar Series
Thrilled to have given an invited online talk at the palaeoverse Seminar Series along with friend and colleague Russell J. Garwood (U of Manchester). Shut out to the organizers for bringing the paleontological community together around such great content and forward-thinking goals. For those interested in reconstructing not just the tree of life, but the tree of life and death, TREvoSim offers novel ways of simulating data to explore how diversification and fossilization occurred, and how much we can expect to succeed in reconstructing the past.