Julian Catchen is an Associate Professor in the School of Integrative Biology at Illinois University, where he is the Director of Graduate Studies. His research focuses on evolution and systematics, particularly examining how genomes change over time in response to major evolutionary events. He investigates architectural changes within genomes, specifically looking at the genomic basis of long-term species radiation and the architectural changes that occur in response to invasive species. With a background in genetics and biochemistry, his work aims to deepen the understanding of evolutionary processes through genomic research.