Associate ProfessorGeorgetown University
3700 O Street NW
Dept of Biology, Regents Hall 506
District of Columbia, District of Columbia 20057
Email: matthew.hamilton@georgetown.edu
Phone: 202-687-5924
Visit Matthew's Research Website
Research Disciplines: Research Interests:
landscape genetics, ecological genetics, genomics, salt marshes, striped bass, Spartina, STEM education
View Matthew's CVEducation
- University of Chicago, BA in Biological Sciences, 1990
- Brown University, PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 1995
- Postdoctoral Fellow, Smithsonian Institution, National Zoological Park, Molecular Genetics Laboratory, 1995-1998
Other Research
My research focuses on fundamental and applied questions in evolutionary biology, population genetics, and ecological and conservation genetics. I am interested in quantifying spatial and temporal population genetic variation and inferring its causes, estimating effective population size, inferring population demographic histories from population genetic data, and causes of molecular clock differences among species. My empirical projects have focused on a diverse range of organisms, including marine fish (striped bass), tropical forest trees, salt marsh plants, and cicadas. My lab employs molecular genetic methods such as microsatellite genotyping and DNA sequencing to estimate key population genetic parameters such as effective population size, degree of population structure and rates of nucleotide substitution. I frequently employ numerical simulation modeling to develop expectations for the behavior of genetic systems and to test hypotheses. My experience in STEM education includes programs to support research experiences for students of diverse backgrounds, mentorship of more than 50 high school and college students in authentic research projects, and authorship of a major survey text in population genetics.