The Program in Ecology, Behavior & Evolution (EBE) includes exciting and innovative courses and cutting-edge research opportunities in behavioral ecology and sociobiology, molecular ecology and evolution, community ecology, biochemical ecology, population biology, tropical ecology, ecosystem ecology, and conservation biology. Integrative and cross-disciplinary research is strongly encouraged and a broad organismal perspective is emphasized. Faculty research investigates a broad array of organisms, including microbes, protists, fungi, plants, insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals living in freshwater, marine, and terrestrial ecosystems in both temperate and tropical regions.
The group has a particularly strong track record of training international students and conducting research in tropical regions around the world. We have recently expanded our expertise in community and ecosystem ecology with faculty conducting research on temperate forests in New England. Faculty laboratories and other shared facilities on campus are well equipped for microscopy, molecular genetics, stable isotope analyses, mass spectrometry, and other methods necessary for modern integrative research.
The EBE program is greatly enriched by its affiliation with faculty from the Center for Ecology & Conservation Biology, the Marine Program, and the Departments of Earth & Environment and Anthropology. Field research and training opportunities are available at the Tiputini Biodiversity Station in the Amazonian rainforest of eastern Ecuador and the Sargent Center for Outdoor Education in southern New Hampshire. Many of our faculty also have affiliations with other research centers supporting field-based research.
Faculty with Related Research
Sarah W. Davies, Associate Professor of Biology ecological genomics, population genetics, molecular ecology, coral ecology, climate change, symbiosis
Ethan Deyle, Research Assistant Professor of Biology Quantitative Ecology, Environmental Data Science, Nonlinear Dynamics, Applied Complex Systems, Marine Ecology
John R. Finnerty, Associate Professor of Biology Evolutionary and ecological developmental biology; evolutionary and ecological genomics; marine biodiversity; global change biology; coral conservation.
Robinson W. Fulweiler, Professor of Biology (jointly with Earth & Environment) Biogeochemistry and Marine Ecology
Les Kaufman, Professor of Biology marine biology, evolutionary ecology, and conservation biology
Cheryl Knott, Professor of Anthropology, Biology, and Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies primate, great ape and orangutan behavior and physiology; reproductive ecology, energetics and endocrinology; nutritional ecology; life history and human evolution; sexuality and sexual conflict theory; wildlife and habitat conservation
Jeffrey Marlow, Assistant Professor of Biology microbial ecology, environmental microbiology, global change biology, metabolic activity, geobiology, astrobiology
Sean P. Mullen, Professor of Biology Adaptation and speciation; hybrid zones; the evolution of mimicry and wing pattern variation in butterflies; evolutionary genetics; comparative and population genomics; bioinformatics
Mario Muscedere, Master Lecturer in Biology; Director, Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience Science education and undergraduate mentorship, social behavior, neuroethology, behavioral ecology
Ranjan Muthukrishnan, Research Assistant Professor community ecology, marine ecology, coral reefs, invasive species, ecological modeling EBE and Marine Biology
Christopher Schmitt, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Biology; primate growth and development, ontogeny and etiology of obesity, population and functional genomics, quantitative genetics, primate behavioral ecology and life history
Christopher J. Schneider, Professor Emeritus of Biology ecology, evolution and adaptive diversification of reptiles and amphibians; systematics; population and comparative genomics; tropical biology and conservation
Michael D. Sorenson, Professor of Biology Avian behavioral ecology, speciation, population genomics, and molecular systematics
Kathryn Spilios, Director of Instructional Labs; Director of the Learning Assistant Program; Master Lecturer in Biology Science education, entomology
Lynette Strickland, Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences Evolutionary genetics, ecological genetics and genomics, ecological entomology, biodiversity genomics, tropical ecology, beetles Integrated studies of biodiversity genomics
Pamela Templer, Distinguished Professor and Chair of Biology plant and microbial ecosystem ecology; biogeochemistry
James F. A. Traniello, Professor of Biology behavior, ecology and evolution of social insects; neuroethology; social brain evolution; behavioral development and senescence; evolution of division of labor
Karen Warkentin, Professor of Biology; Professor of Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies phenotypic plasticity; integrative and comparative biology; adaptive embryo behavior; hatching as a life history transition; substrate vibration as an information channel; herpetology; tropical biology; sex, gender and sexuality; diversity and inclusion as imperatives for scientific progress
Fred E. Wasserman, Associate Professor of Biology Animal behavior, bird song, territoriality
Affiliated Faculty, Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies 
