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Daniel F. Hughes, Ph.D.


I'm an Assistant Professor of Biology at Tarleton State University, where my lab researches how organisms, populations, and communities respond to change. I use comparative approaches to connect data between ecology and evolution. Studies have spanned from the past to the present, from tropical to temperate regions, and include data from molecular phylogenetics, evolutionary ecology, and long-term population demography.
My work has been covered in the Post, Gazette, Herald, and NPR. Follow along on social media or contact me directly.
EDUCATION:
2018: Ph.D., EEB – University of Texas at El Paso
2013: M.Sc., Biology – Shippensburg University
2011: B.Sc., Zoology – Humboldt State University
POSITIONS:
2025–present: Assistant Professor – Tarleton State University
2020–2025: Assistant Professor – Coe College
2019–2020: Postdoctoral Fellow – Carnegie Museum of Natural History
2018–2019: Postdoctoral Associate – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
2016–2018: Adjunct Faculty – Excelsior University
Popular writing
SPOTLIGHT
A Personality SNP? Behavioral Genetics in African Cichlids
Trends in Genetics
BLOG
Life History of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Life in the City
BLOG
How to Catch 310 Amphibians in 10 Days
Carnegie Museum of Natural History
BLOG
Of Anoles and Salad: From Steinbeck to Prebagged Lettuce
Anole Annals
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