CAREER: Phylogenies and the Comparative Method

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9720641 Martins The "comparative method" is used throughout biology to uncover historical patterns across diverse groups of organisms. Today, it is widely accepted that any statistical analysis of comparative or interspecific data should be conducted in a phylogenetic context. Although several phylogenetic comparative methods (PCMs) have been developed for conducting such analyses, these methods suffer from a number of technical problems which make them difficult to apply. In this project, Emilia Martins and colleagues will use computer simulation and theoretical development to correct several of the statistical difficulties involved in the application of PCMs. They will also continue development of a package of computer programs, COMPARE, which will make PCMs freely accessible to all biologists over the internet. The primary goal of the education component of this project is to expose undergraduates to research. This will be done by 1) further developing our summer program for minority undergraduates in biology, 2) developing the use of the internet to allow undergraduates in my courses to interact with researchers from other campuses, and 3) expanding a course on phylogenetics to include a project in which the students collect and analyze data and prepare the results for publication in a scientific journal.