SPOTLIGHT: Science & Environment

Colin Hughes is the mover and shaker behind the ILIR series SPOTLIGHT: Science, Environment and more. His research centers around the evolutionary processes within and among populations that are important determinants of species persistence. He is especially interested in processes that aren’t immediately apparent. Much of his current research focuses on the role that infectious disease plays in demography. While human diseases are well characterized, the impact of parasitism (in its broadest sense) on populations of animals in their native range is poorly known. Colin is interested in quantifying changes in the frequencies of alleles at Major Histocompatibility loci, in space and time, to infer how much influence parasitism exerts on reproductive success. Colin has shared his enthusiasm for birds, all animals and science with ILIR. In spring session, Colin will be talking about his love of orchids.