Harrison, Richard Gerald
Professor
I am a broadly interested evolutionary biologist, concerned with fundamental patterns and processes in evolution. I focus on insects, but the Harrison lab likes to see the evolutionary process through the eyes of many different organisms.
research
research and scholarship focus
Current research efforts in my laboratory focus on examining the genetics of natural populations and on application of modern molecular genetic techniques to questions in evolutionary biology. I am particularly concerned with understanding the dynamics of DNA sequence divergence (within and among populations and species) and with using population genetic and phylogenetic methods to gain insights into population structure, evolutionary relationships and the origin of species.
primary investigator of
- DEFINING THE ROLE OF SEMINAL PROTEINS IN REPRODUCTIVE ISOLATION BETWEEN CLOSELY RELATED INSECT SPECIES: GENOMIC AND PROTEOMIC APPROACHES | Research Grant
- DISSERTATION RESEARCH: EFFECTS OF MATING SYSTEM ON ACCESSORY GLAND PROTEIN EVOLUTION IN HELICONIUS BUTTERFLIES | Research Grant
- GENETIC ARCHITECTURE OF REPRODUCTIVE ISOLATION BETWEEN PHEROMONE STRAINS OF THE EUROPEAN CORN BORER | Research Grant
research areas
- entomology | collaborative research area (CALS)
- evolution | collaborative research area (CALS)
- genetics | collaborative research area (CALS)
- genomics | collaborative research area (CALS)
- insects | collaborative research area (CALS)
- new life sciences | collaborative research area (CALS)
submitted impact statement
- Genetics of European corn borer moth populations | 2005 Impact statement
- Genetics of European corn borer moth populations | 2004 Impact statement
affiliations
head of
- Evolutionary Genomics | NLSI/Genomics focus area
faculty appointment in
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) | Cornell department
member of graduate field
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | graduate field
- Entomology | graduate field
- Genetics and Development | graduate field
other Cornell affiliations
- Cornell Center for Comparative and Population Genomics | research and educational resource center
- Institute for Genomic Diversity (IGD) | research institute
member of advisory group
- Life Sciences Core Laboratories Center DNA Sequencing Faculty Advisory Group | advisory committee
teaching
teaching focus
I teach basic courses in evolutionary biology for undergraduates and graduate students.
teaches
- BIOEE 2780 - Evolutionary Biology and Diversity (MWF 10:10:AM-11:00:AM) | fall 2009 class
- BIOEE 2780 - Evolutionary Biology and Diversity (MWF 10:10:AM-11:00:AM) | fall 2009 class
- BIOG 2990 - Introduction to Research Methods in Biology (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- BIOG 4990 - Independent Undergraduate Research in Biology (TBA -) | fall 2009 class
- BIOEE 4530 - Speciation (TR 10:10:AM-11:25:AM) | spring 2009 class
- BIOG 2990 - Introduction to Research Methods in Biology (TBA -) | spring 2009 class
- BIOEE 7610 - Microsatellite DNA: Techniques (TBA -) | fall 2008 class
service
event host
background
featured in
- Evolution given a closer look at second Darwin Day celebration | Cornell Chronicle Feature
Keywords: evolutionary biology, evolutionary genetics, insect population biology, molecular evolution, speciation