Stephen Baca PhD

My research focuses on the biodiversity of aquatic insects, specifically aquatic beetles. I integrate descriptive taxonomy, molecular phylogenetics, and genomics to parse evolutionary patterns and processes across time scales. Targeted field surveys and museum research are essential to my work as I seek to understand the diversity of increasingly threatened aquatic environments. As an NIH-IRACDA postdoc in the Moyle Lab of Avian Systematics at the University of Kansas, I incorporate advanced, data-driven methodologies into my investigations, with a current emphasis on evolutionary dynamics at the species and population levels. Finally, I have committed myself to actively fostering diversity and equity in STEM fields through mentorship, education, and public engagement.

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