I am a research scientist and educator. I view these responsibilities part of a continuum that runs from current students to alumni to the general public. My research is focused on discovering basic principles that determine the amount of diversity that exists within and between the genomes of organisms, and how we can use that diversity to understand organismal diversity, to discover novel genes, to maximize human health, and to advance agriculture. Our research is carried out with Drosophila, mammals, and plants. My teaching covers the concepts and methodologies of population genetics and comparative genomics. I teach undergraduate and graduate classes, I have given explorations for introductory biology students, alumni lectures on the genetics of diversity and genomics, and served as scientific advisor to science television (NOVA, WGBH, Discovery Channel). My interests are interdisciplinary and I work hard to support strengthening of the life sciences, genomics, and related disciplines on campus. These efforts have included being a founding member of the Cornell Genomics Initiative, chairing two focus groups (Evolutionary Genomics, and Computational and Statistical Genomics), chairing and participating in numerous faculty search committees, helping to develop new curriculum (the computational biology program of study within Biology, and the formation of the new Department of Biological Statistics and Computational Biology), having served as a member of both the Provost’s Life Sciences Advisory Council, and the “Life Sciences Priorities” subcommittee of the LSAC, and having served as a member of the CALS “Vision Task Force”. During the period 2004 – 2007, much of my effort was directed to the chairmanship of the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics. My Dept Chair term ended June 31, 2007 and I have now refocused my efforts on research and teaching in population genetics, statistical genomics and comparative genomics at Cornell and in the scientific community at large, and on ways to retain and strengthen the outstanding faculty recruited in the last several years. In addition to my appointment in the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, I have had an active joint appointee in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and I participate as an active collaborator and contribute to faculty recruiting and mentoring in the Department of Biological Statistics and Computational Biology.