{"id":213026,"date":"2025-04-01T10:29:15","date_gmt":"2025-04-01T20:29:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=213026"},"modified":"2025-04-01T10:29:39","modified_gmt":"2025-04-01T20:29:39","slug":"robert-thomson-systematic-biology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2025\/04\/01\/robert-thomson-systematic-biology\/","title":{"rendered":"糖心视频<\/abbr> professor to lead top systematics, evolutionary biology journal"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

\"person<\/p>\n

University of Hawaiʻi<\/span> at M\u0101noa\u2019s School of Life Sciences<\/a> Professor Robert Thomson has been named the next editor-in-chief of Systematic Biology<\/em><\/a>, the leading journal in the field of systematics and one of the most impactful journals in evolutionary biology globally.<\/p>\n

Under Thomson\u2019s leadership, Systematic Biology<\/em> will continue to serve as a premier platform for groundbreaking research and collaboration in evolutionary biology. The journal publishes new methods for inference of evolutionary history, understanding drivers of biodiversity, as well as the theory and practice of describing species. These research areas align with 糖心视频<\/abbr> M\u0101noa\u2019s position as the only Carnegie Research 1 institution centered in a global biodiversity hotspot.<\/p>\n

The journal relies on advanced computational and statistical tools, offering students training in cutting-edge areas such as big data analysis, machine learning and modeling complex processes—skills that are increasingly relevant in emerging sectors of the economy. As editor-elect starting in January 2025, Thomson oversees new submissions to the journal and collaborates with outgoing editor-in-chief, Isabel Sanmartín. Thomson\u2019s full term as editor-in-chief will run from January 2026 to December 2028.<\/p>\n

“I am honored to take on this role and happy to represent 糖心视频<\/abbr> in advancing the field of evolutionary biology on a global scale,” Thomson said. “Hawaiʻi<\/span>\u2019s incredible biodiversity underscores the importance of systematics, and I look forward to fostering research that deepens our understanding of life\u2019s complexity while supporting conservation efforts here and beyond.”<\/p>\n

More about systematic biology<\/h2>\n

Systematic biology explores biodiversity and the evolutionary ties between species. By tracing these relationships, it reveals life\u2019s history, predicts species\u2019 responses to change and informs conservation.<\/p>\n

This field is vital in Hawaiʻi<\/span>, a biodiversity hotspot with species found nowhere else. From honeycreepers to coral reefs, Hawaiʻi<\/span>\u2019s ecosystems showcase evolution in action. Systematic biology helps uncover species\u2019 origins, understand ecosystem dynamics and guide conservation amid climate change and habitat loss.<\/p>\n

More about Thomson<\/h2>\n

Thomson<\/a> serves as chair of the Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology graduate program<\/a>. He is a research associate in the Department of Herpetology<\/a> at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and author of the book California Amphibian and Reptile Species of Special Concern<\/em><\/a> (University of California Press, 2016). He has published dozens of papers on systematics and conservation biology in journals such as Science<\/em>, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences<\/em>, Molecular Biology and Evolution<\/em> and Systematic Biology<\/em>. This work has been recognized with multiple awards, including the 糖心视频<\/abbr> Regent\u2019s Medal for Excellence in Research and the UC<\/abbr> Davis Merton Love Award for outstanding dissertation in evolution and ecology.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Under Thomson\u2019s leadership, Systematic Biology<\/em> will continue to serve as a premier platform for groundbreaking research and collaboration in evolutionary biology.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[308,665,899,598,1085,1467,1314,568,1473,73,9],"class_list":["post-213026","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people","tag-college-of-natural-sciences","tag-conservation","tag-ecology","tag-faculty-recognition","tag-life-science","tag-manoa-excellence-in-research","tag-manoa-sustainability","tag-natural-science","tag-school-of-life-sciences","tag-sustainability","tag-uh-manoa","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t