Systematics is the study of the relationships between groups of any size, including species and populations. We use DNA sequence, morphological characters, and ecology to construct phylogenies for taxa of interest, and use the information to understand the processes of evolution. In addition to a better understanding of evolution, systematics is an essential tool for protecting agriculture, improving conservation, and has direct applications to medicine and the life sciences in general.

In our lab, we are interested in understanding  relationships between different groups of organisms at the population, species levels, and above.  Our focus is on insects, but the data and theoretical basis of our research applies to all of life. By building DNA- and morphology-based phylogenies, we are able to identify new species and uncover hidden  relationships and patterns between species. The current projects in our lab  focus on the application of systematics to improving agriculture and conservation efforts in Hawai'i and elsewhere.