Dan Hare's Field and Laboratory Research
Research and Publications: As an evolutionary biologist, I am primarily interested in the process of adaptation. The interactions between plants, their insect herbivores, and the natural enemies of herbivores are ideal to study adaptation because of the short generation times, small size, and short dispersal ranges of all of the participants. Genetic changes can be seen in as little as a few seasons in these systems, making them unsurpassed as model systems for evolutionary studies. Some of the plants and herbivores are important to human welfare, and my research on the interaction between crops and pests applies the principles learned from natural systems to the development of ecologically sound pest management programs. The sections below contain a short description of my research in three different areas and a list of relevant publications. Some of the more recent publications are available for viewing on-line.
Plant Herbivore
Interactions and Chemical Ecology
Tritrophic
Interactions and Insect Behavior
Pest Management
Honors and Awards
Elected
Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Section on
Biological Sciences. 2008
Recent Federal Grant
Support
National
Science Foundation: $260,000 “Cost and benefits of plant defense against
herbivores in maintaining a resistance polymorphism.” 1997 – 2000.
National
Science Foundation: $270,000 “Interactions between plant competition and
resistance in maintaining a plant defense dimorphism” 2001-2004.
National
Science Foundation: $480,000 “Tritrophic Interactions in Datura” 2004 – 2009.
Recent Teaching
Biology 5C, Introductory Evolution &
Ecology
Biology 117, Population and Community Ecology
Biology 216, Theory of Evolution
Entomology 203, Ecology, Population Genetics, and Pest Management
Entomology 241, Insect-Plant Interactions
For Prospective Graduate
Students and Postdocs:
Graduate Students: I am most interested in sponsoring students who have a strong interest in the study of plant-insect and tritrophic interactions from an evolutionary point of view and who are interested in the chemical mediation of those interactions. The two most important attributes that I seek in graduate students are curiosity and initiative – curiosity to ask interesting questions and the initiative to do what it takes to answer them. I can sponsor graduate students in either the Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology Graduate Program (EEOB) or in Entomology Graduate Program, and I invite prospective students to contact me before applying to best determine which program is most appropriate for their interests and prior training.
Postdoctoral research appointments: At the University of California, the position of Postdoctoral Scholar is structured to provide mentoring to young scientists that emphasizes scholarship and continued research training. As part of the mentoring process, I delegate to postdocs the responsibility for day-to-day management of a portion of my funded research, and I expect them to carry that research through to publication. Although postdocs initially address one or more objectives of my funded projects, I encourage them to enhance their qualifications for future positions by initiating, funding, and publishing the results of an independent line of research within their area of expertise that is related to my overall research goals. After they leave my laboratory, my successful postdocs are fully prepared to initiate, fund, manage, and publish the results of an independent research program expected of all new assistant professors and professional researchers.
Postdoctoral vacancies occur at various times in my laboratory and often can be filled on short notice. Those interested in my research are encouraged to contact me and outline their interests for future consideration when postdoctoral vacancies may arise.