Galapagos Birds and the Study of Evolution with Dr Jaime Chaves 3 12 26

About the Program: Galápagos Birds and the Study of Evolution Dr. Chaves’s research centers on understanding how biodiversity is generated and maintained in the Neotropics, with a particular emphasis on the connection between molecular variation and phenotypic traits. He has applied phylogenetic comparative methods and integrated data from fieldwork and museum collections to investigate evolutionary histories of organisms, addressing fundamental questions in biodiversity. By combining molecular genetics with field biology, his presentation will explore evolutionary processes at multiple levels: from population divergence and speciation in action, to species-level phylogeography and systematics. Dr. Chaves’s projects are grounded in international, multidisciplinary collaborations that actively engage local students and communities. While he employs molecular techniques across a variety of taxa, he is especially drawn to birds for their remarkable diversity and life histories. The majority of his work focuses on species on the Galápagos Islands. About the Presenter: Dr Jaime Chaves is an Associate Professor of Evolutionary Biology at San Francisco State University whose work is rooted in a fascination with how life diversifies and adapts. His research integrates genomics and field ecology to study adaptation and diversification in birds, with a particular focus on Galápagos species, including Darwin’s finches. His primary research goal is to better understand evolutionary processes and inform conservation. Jaime is an active birdwatcher who participates in community building through nature-focused activities (Christmas Bird Count, Big Days) and through his involvement with the California Academy of Sciences.