Dr. Stephen Downie

Biography

Stephen R. Downie is a Professor and Associate Dean for Curricula and Academic Policy at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Illinois. He specializes in systematics and evolution, particularly within flowering plants of the family Apiaceae. His research focuses on reconstructing phylogenies using molecular data and morphological evidence to elucidate evolutionary histories and the patterns of character evolution within this cosmopolitan group. With extensive international collaborations, Downie's work combines herbarium-based studies and phylogenomic analyses, aiming to clarify species-level boundaries and produce modern classifications of perennial and endemic umbellifers in western North America, including genera such as Cymopterus and Lomatium. He holds a B.Sc. from the University of Guelph and a Ph.D. from the University of Alberta, with postdoctoral positions at the University of Michigan and Indiana University.

Research Interests