Ecologist and evolutionary biologist Mark A. McPeek in the Gilman Greenhouse. (photo by Joseph Mehling ’69)
Mark A. McPeek, the David T. McLaughlin Distinguished Professor of Biological Sciences, recently received an American Institute of Biological Science (AIBS) President’s Citation Award. The President’s Citation recognizes McPeek’s extensive contributions to the biological sciences.
An ecologist and evolutionary biologist, McPeek integrates the fields of study using empirical and theoretical studies to examine how ecological processes influenced the adaptation of organisms in the past, and how they affect organisms today.
At Dartmouth, McPeek teaches undergraduate and graduate courses including “Ecology and Evolution,” “Advanced Community Ecology,” and “How to Think Like a Scientist.” His lab, which includes undergraduates, graduate students, and a postdoctoral scholar, is currently working on nine research programs. Topics of investigation include the evolution of reproductive isolation in damselflies, how urban noise interferes with cricket reproduction, and theoretical models of species interactions and trait evolution. McPeek is also editor-in-chief of the American Naturalist, an affiliate of the American Society of Naturalists, the oldest scientific society devoted to ecology, evolution, and behavior.
McPeek says, “I was very surprised and deeply honored to receive this recognition. I hope it will inspire others to try to integrate their research programs across disciplinary boundaries.”
The President’s Citation Award is granted to one individual or group a year.
