I am a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Michigan in the department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology where I am a hosted by Dr. Hernán López-Fernández. I study the patterns and processes leading to biological diversity. Fishes are the most species rich vertebrate clade on the planet and are extremely diverse in their morphology and ecology; thus, fishes are an ideal system to test the ecological and evolutionary hypotheses Much of my research focuses on on 1.) the factors that promote adaptive radiation and how they impact the diversification of fishes, 2.) the impact of phenotypic innovations on lineage and ecological diversification, and 3.) the evolution of trophic ecology. However, I am broadly interested in the evolution and ecology of fishes.
I employ a variety of approaches in my research, including phylogenomics, microCT scanning, morphometrics, phylogenetic comparative methods, and the devolopment of large ecological databases. I am also active in developing software, particularly packages for R, that can be used in biological research.
Sam Borstein’s CV (September 2022)
For the most up to date list of publications, check my Google Scholar page.
Fish For Thought 