
Apr. 29, 202: UCF Biology Prof. Dr. Eric Hoffman: Genetics and the conservation of Florida’s wildlife
After growing up in Nebraska, Dr. Hoffman escaped to the west coast where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Ecology, Behavior and Evolution at the University of California, San Diego in 1993. Upon graduating, he attended the University of Illinois where he earned his Master’s degree. He then moved back west to earn his PhD in Zoology at Oregon State University, where his dissertation research focused on understanding how population genetic patterns in Northern Leopard Frogs can provide insight into the process of natural selection. After earning his PhD, Dr. Hoffman moved to Georgia Tech and used genomic approaches to understand how specific patterns of gene expression control morphological diversity in animal species. In 2005, Dr. Hoffman accepted a position in the Department of Biology at the University of Central Florida. Here, Dr. Hoffman and his graduate students have been investigating how genetic diversity can provide insights into (non-human) species’ evolutionary history. A major component of his research focuses on understanding how genetic diversity can be applied to conservation. In particular, he studies how genetic patterns of variation can inform us on the conservation of endangered species and the introduction patterns of non-native, invasive, species.
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