Faculty List
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has a long tradition of excellence in ecology and evolutionary biology. From the early 1900's with such scientists as Stephen A. Forbes and Victor E. Shelford to today, our faculty and graduate students have made major contributions to these disciplines. For faculty research interests, see research areas.
A |
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Ainsworth, Lisa Assistant Professor, Plant Biology and USDA ainswort@illinois.edu |
Research: Plant molecular and physiological responses to climate change; leaf growth dynamics |
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Ambrose, Stanley H. Associate Professor, Anthropology ambrose@illinois.edu |
Research: Archeology of modern human origins in East Africa; later Pleistocene population history; reconstructing early hominid environments with stable isotopes |
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Augspurger, Carol Professor, Plant Biology carolaug@life.illinois.edu |
Research: Ecology and reproductive biology of tropical tree populations |
B |
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Beasley,
Val R. Professor, Veterinary Biosciences vbeasley@cvm.illinois.edu |
Research: Veterinary, wildlife, and ecological toxicology |
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Bell, Alison M. Assistant Professor, Animal Biology alisonmb@life.illinois.edu |
Research: Evolution of behavior, behavioral genomics |
| Berenbaum,
May R. Professor, Entomology maybe@life.illinois.edu |
Research: Chemical interactions between insects and host plants and implications for community organization |
| Berlocher,
Stewart H. Professor, Entomology stewartb@life.illinois.edu |
Research: Speciation and host utilization of herbivorous insects |
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Brawn,
Jeffrey D. Professor, Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences and Animal Biology jbrawn@illinois.edu |
Research: Effects of ecological disturbance on conservation of avian populations and communities; comparative demography of temperate and tropical birds |
C |
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Cáceres, Carla E. Program Director |
Research: Population, community and evolutionary ecology; life-history evolution; ecology of infectious disease; limnology |
| Cameron,
Sydney Associate Professor, Entomology scameron@life.illinois.edu |
Research: Application of phylogenetics to social insect evolution and ecology |
Cao, Yong Affiliate, Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences,(Illinois Natural History Survey) |
Research: Community ecology, freshwater bioassessment, multivariate analysis, and species modeling |
| Cheeseman,
John M. Professor, Plant Biology jcheese@life.illinois.edu |
Research: Control and integration of resource acquisition and allocation in plants |
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Cheng, Christina Associate Professor, Animal Biology c-cheng@illinois.edu |
Research: Molecular evolution of fish antifreeze protein genes; evolution of antifreeze function and paleobiogeography of polar regions |
Chick, John |
Research: Ecology of large rivers, particularly Mississippi and Illinois rivers; population dynamics & community interactions freshwater fishes, life history stages & general aquatic ecology |
D |
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Dalling,
James W. |
Research: Community ecology of tropical forests |
| Davis,
Adam Assistant Professor, Crop Sciences asdavis1@illinois.edu |
Research: Making weed management in field crops more dependable, more profitable for farmers, and less likely to have negative impacts on environmental quality and non-target organisms |
| Dawson,
Jeffrey O. Affiliate, Plant Biology; Professor, Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences jdawson2@illinois.edu |
Research: Symbiotic nitrogen fixation by actinorhizal plants |
| DeLucia,
Evan H. Professor, Plant Biology delucia@life.illinois.edu |
Research: Physiological ecology of vascular plants; climate change |
| DeVries,
Arthur L. Professor, Animal Biology adevries@illinois.edu |
Research: Physiological ecology of polar fishes; evolution of biological antifreeze systems |
| Dietrich,
Christopher H. Affiliate, Entomology; Associate Professor, Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, (Illinois Natural History Survey) dietrich@inhs.illinois.edu |
Research: Systematics, morphology, and evolutionary biology of leafhoppers and treehoppers; biodiversity and conservation of grassland ecosystems |
| Dietze, Michael Assistant Professor, Plant Biology mdietze@igb.illinois.edu |
Research: Forest community and ecosystem ecology, ecological forecasting and model-data fusion |
| Douglas, Marlis R. Illinois Natural History Survey; Affiliate, Animal Biology, and Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences mrd@inhs.illinois.edu | Research: Conservation genetics, molecular ecology, biodiversity, biogeography, vertebrate natural history, conservation of fishes |
| Douglas, Michael E. Illinois Natural History Survey; Affiliate, Animal Biology, and Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences med@inhs.illinois.edu | Research: Molecular and quantitative ecology; conservation biology and genetics; multivariate and geometric morphometrics; biodiversity identification and classification; vertebrate natural history; museum curation | Downie,
Stephen R. Professor, Plant Biology sdownie@life.illinois.edu |
Research: Plant molecular systematics and evolutionary biology |
E |
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| Endress,
Anton G. Professor, Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences aendress@illinois.edu |
Research: Restoration ecology and physiological plant ecology |
| Epifanio,
John Affiliate, Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences (Illinois Natural History Survey) epifanio@illinois.edu |
Research: Conservation biology, molecular ecology, and fish biology |
F |
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Fraterrigo,
Jennifer |
Research: Landscape ecology, effects of human and natural disturbance on ecosystem structure and function, land-water |
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Fuller, Becky Assistant Professor, Animal Biology fuller@life.illinois.edu |
Research: Evolution of color patterns and color vision, sexual selection and mating systems, fish biology |
G |
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| Garber,
Paul A. Professor, Anthropology p-garber@illinois.edu |
Research: Cognitive aspects of foraging, behavioral ecology, and mating systems of New World primates |
H |
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Hanks,
Lawrence M. Associate Professor, Entomology hanks@life.illinois.edu |
Research: Ecological interrelationships between plants, herbivorous insects, and their natural enemies in ecosystems dominated by humans |
| Hannon,
Bruce M. Professor, Geography bhannon@illinois.edu |
Research: Modeling ecological, economic, energy systems, conservation, resource utilization |
Herrick, Jason R. Assistant Professor, Veterinary Biosciences |
Research: Comparative reproductive biology and development of assisted reproductive technologies for small cat conservation |
| Herricks,
Edwin E. Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering herricks@illinois.edu |
Research: Effects of contaminants and environmental alterations on communities |
| Heske,
Edward J. Associate Professor, Animal Biology (Illinois Natural History Survey) eheske@illinois.edu |
Research: Mammalian population and community ecology; conservation biology |
| Hill,
Walter R. Adj. Assistant Professor, Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences (Illinois Natural History Survey) whill@inhs.illinois.edu |
Research: Aquatic ecology, freshwater phycology and primary production, aquatic-terrestrial interactions, stream ecology, ecological energetics, freshwater invertebrates |
| Hu, Feng Sheng Professor, Plant Biology fshu@life.illinois.edu |
Research: Ecosystem ecology and quaternary ecology; global climatic change |
I, J |
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| Jain,
Atul K. Assistant Professor, Atmospheric Sciences jain@atmos.illinois.edu |
Research: Development of mathematical models of the atmosphere, oceans, and biosphere to address environmental issues |
| Johnson,
Kevin P. Affiliate, Animal Biology and Entomology (Illinois Natural History Survey) kjohnson@inhs.illinois.edu |
Research: Host-parasite coevolution; avian and insect systematics |
K |
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Kent,
Angela Assistant Professor, Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences akent@illinois.edu |
Research: Ecology of microbial communities involved in ecosystem processes in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, microbial ecology and human and animal health |
L |
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| Leakey,
Andrew Assistant Professor, Plant Biology leakey@illinois.edu |
Research: Molecular and Physiological regulation of plant responses to the environment |
| Levin,
Geoffrey A. Adjunct Assistant Professor, Plant Biology (Illinois Natural History Survey) glevin@inhs.illinois.edu |
Research: Plant systematics |
| Long,
Stephen P. Professor, Plant Biology and Crop Sciences stevel@life.illinois.edu |
Research: Genetic variation in plant responses to atmospheric change and pollution; environmental physiology of C4 photosynthesis; models of plant responses to temperature and atmospheric change |
M |
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Malhi, Ripan Affiliate, Animal Biology |
Integrates population genetics, phylogenetics, ancient DNA analysis, and field research in collaboration with Native American communities. Use of tools from molecular biology and population genetics; American Southwest and Central Mexico. |
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Marcot,
Jonathan Research Assistant Professor, Animal Biology jmarcot@life.illinois.edu |
Research: Biologic diversification, particularly morphologic, molecular and taxonomic evolution of fossil and living artiodactyl mammals; Paleobiology; Evolution of biologic complexity; Phylogenetic methods |
Miller, James R. Assistant Professor, Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences |
Research: Avian ecology, landscape ecology, biodiversity conservation, habitat restoration, reconciliation ecology |
N, O |
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Onstad, David Associate Professor, Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences onstad@illinois.edu |
Research: insect and pathogen ecology and evolution; population ecology; landscape ecology; systems ecology; ecological modeling; population genetics and insect behavior |
P |
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| Paige,
Ken N. Professor, Animal Biology k-paige@life.illinois.edu |
Research: Evolutionary ecology; conservation biology |
| Philipp,
David P. Affiliate, Animal Biology (Illinois Natural History Survey) philipp@illinois.edu |
Research: Natural resource conservation genetics; reproductive behavior in fishes |
| Phillips,
Christopher A. Affiliate, Animal Biology (Illinois Natural History Survey) chrisp@inhs.illinois.edu |
Research: Evolutionary biology of fishes, amphibians, and reptiles |
| Punyasena, Surangi Assistant Professor, Plant Biology spunya1@illinois.edu |
Research: Role of climate in long-term evolution of Neotropical forests; quantitative palynology |
Q, R |
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| Rhodes, Justin S. Assistant Professor, Psychology jrhodes@illinois.edu | Experimental evolution of voluntary behavior in vertebrates |
| Robertson,
Hugh M. Professor, Entomology hughrobe@life.illinois.edu |
Research: Insect molecular biology; molecular evolution |
| Robinson,
Gene Professor, Entomology generobi@life.illinois.edu |
Research: Mechanisms and evolution of social behavior in honey bees |
S |
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| Sass, Greg G. Adjunct, Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, Illinois Natural History Survey ggsass@illinois.edu | Fish ecology, fisheries management, ichthyology, large river ecology |
| Schneider,
Daniel W. Associate Professor, Urban & Regional Planning ddws@illinois.edu |
Research: Aquatic invertebrate ecology; ecology of invasive species; environmental history |
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Schooley, Robert L. Assistant Professor, Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences schooley@illinois.edu |
Research: Landscape ecology, metapopulations, wildlife conservation, animal movements |
| Sears, Karen Assistant Professor, Animal Biology ksears@life.illinois.edu |
Research: Evolutionary developmental biology, particularly combining paleontology, developmental biology and genetics to examine the developmental mechanisms that drive morphologic diversification in mammals |
| Seigler,
David S. Professor, Plant Biology seigler@life.illinois.edu |
Research: Role of plant secondary compounds in biological interactions; chemical ecology |
| Shearer,
Carol A. Professor, Plant Biology cshearer@life.illinois.edu |
Research: Ecology of freshwater saprobic fungal communities |
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Suarez, Andrew Assistant Professor, Animal Biology and Entomology avsuarez@life.illinois.edu |
Research: Invasive species, notably the causes and consequences of invasion of natural areas by the Argentine ant. |
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Suski, Cory Assistant Professor, Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences suski@illinois.edu |
Research: Conservation, physiology and ecology of freshwater fishes. |
T, U, V, W |
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| Wahl,
David H. Adjunct Professor, Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, Affiliate, Animal Biology (Illinois Natural History Survey) d-wahl@illinois.edu |
Research: Aquatic ecology; fisheries management |
| Wander,
Michelle Associate Professor, Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences mwander@illinois.edu |
Research: Management impacts on soil organic matter characteristics |
| Warner,
Richard
E. Professor, Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences dickw@illinois.edu |
Research: Population ecology and management of wild vertebrates |
| Weatherhead,
Patrick J. Professor, Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences and Animal Biology pweather@illinois.edu |
Research: Behavior, ecology, and conservation of snakes and birds |
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Wenny, Dan Adjunct, Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences (Illinois Natural History Survey) dwenny@inhs.illinois.edu |
Research: Ecology and conservation of grassland birds; prairie/savanna ecology and restoration; plant-animal interactions |
Whitaker, Rachel |
Research: Microbial evolutionary ecology; population genomics; biogeography; horzontal gene transfer; effects of disturbance on microbial populations; Archaea |
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Whitfield, Charles Assistant Professor, Entomology charlie@life.illinois.edu |
Research: Molecular mechanisms and molecular evolution of social behavior, using social insects as a model; natural variation in individual behavior; high throughput genotyping and gene expression analyses |
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Whitfield,
James B. Professor, Entomology jwhitfie@life.illinois.edu |
Research: Systematics and ecology of parasitoid wasps; phylogenetic aspects of coevolution between parasitoids, hosts and associated viruses; molecular phylogenetics |
X, Y, Z |


