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Ryan Harrigan is an Associate Adjunct Professor at the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at the University of California, Los Angeles. His research interests primarily lie in evolutionary biology and ecology, focusing on species complexes and the evolutionary forces that shape complex phylogenetic relationships. Harrigan studies hybridization, introgression, and speciation events, in addition to incomplete lineage sorting. His work explores the interaction between biological phenomena and genetic relationships, emphasizing the impact of anthropogenic forces on these natural processes. One notable case he investigates is the North American waterfowl, a species complex that has been affected by both natural and artificial influences, revealing patterns in phylogeography and distribution. His current research examines the effects of anthropogenic stressors, such as the spread of introduced pathogens on migrant bird populations. Harrigan's ongoing projects include the Biodiversity Atlas of Southern California, which aims to balance the competing components of human and wildlife resource use. He also collaborates with other researchers to investigate environmental drivers of infectious diseases, including Ebola and West Nile Virus.
Department of Economics admits primarily for the PhD program.