An individual animal’s DNA holds a vast amount of information about their ancestors’ history. Conservation genomics can harness this information to protect threatened species.
However, resource constraints often prevent conservation scientists from accessing the most useful molecular techniques.
As a 2025 Schmidt Science Fellow, Benjamin will combine recent advances in DNA sequencing technology with novel bioinformatic methods to improve the information available to conservation scientists. Using these methods, Benjamin will reconstruct dispersal patterns of Pacific corals in the recent and distant past, with the goal of creating more accessible and powerful methods for improved management of the world’s biodiversity.
Benjamin will pivot from Evolutionary Biology to Conservation