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Welcome to Ken's Page

I am currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in the Department of Invertebrate Zoology. Working with Dr. Ellen Strong and Dr. Jerry Harasewych I am investigating the relationships among basal members of the Caenogastropoda, specifically the families Viviparidae, Ampullariidae, Cyclophoridae and Campanilidae. Using a combination of morphological and molecular data I am attempting to provide a clearer understanding of the relationships among these families and their relationships to the rest of the Caenogastropoda.

I received my Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Hawaii working with Dr. Robert Cowie in the Center for Conservation Research and Training.

My research interests revolve around the themes of evolution, phylogeography, and population genetics. More specifically the role(s) of various forces (drift, selection, vicariance, life history, etc) in shaping population structure, evolutionary relationships, and biological diversity. Molluscs, particularly snails, offer an ideal group in which to study evolutionary patterns and processes. My dissertation research primarily focused on clarifying the systematic relationships among New World snails in the family Ampullariidae so that we could begin addressing more fundamental evolutionary questoins. For details follow the research link.

Feel free to browse around and check out the various links. Here you will find information about my past and present research projects, about my travels in Brazil, a little about my time in Hawaii and my time at the Smithsonian. You can also find my CV, a link to our weekly Journal Club, and a variety of other links.

If after you've had a look around you still want to know more, then feel free to contact me.