Aloha! My Name is Cam Muir (ʻO Cam koʻu inoa)
Degree: PhD 1998 (Simon Fraser University: Institute of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry)
The Island of Hawaiʻi (The Big Island) is an extraordinary place to study ecology and evolution.
The island of Hawaiʻi is a tall oceanic island with two mountain peaks that exceed 13,000 feet above sea level and another that exceed 8,000 feet in elevation. Given the island is only ~90 miles across, the resulting topology is steep and houses perhaps the most climatically diverse place for its size in the world. Such climatic diversity enables rich ecological diversity. The active volcanism adds to the evolutionary process by fragmenting populations and creating opportunities for divergence. It is in this context that I study population genetics, and transcriptomics to better understand the evolutionary process and how that affects small-scale sustainable agriculture in Hawaiʻi.
Research Interest
Ecological Genetics, agro-ecology, endangered populations, speciation, local adaptation, disease susceptibility
Teaching
- Introduction to Biology (botany focus) (BIOL 171)
- Western and Hawaiian approaches to Food/water/energy security (BIOL 398)
- Evolution (BIOL 357)
- Cell and Molecular Biology for non-majors (BIOL 125)
- Sustaining Human Societies and the Natural Environment:Study Abroad New Zealand: CCE/Biology BIOL 457A & BIOL 457B* (6 credit total)
- (approved but not yet held) Small Scale Sustainable Tea Farming Theory: CCE/Ag*
(approved but not yet held) Small Scale Sustainable Tea Farming Methods: CCE/Ag* - Conservation Genetics (graduate) (CBES 675) * new
- Conservation Theory (core graduate) (CBES 600) * new
- Conservation Methods (core graduate) (CBES 601) * new
- Conservation Research Design (core graduate)(CBES 605) * new
- Genetics (BIOL 376) *
- Ecological Genetics (BIOL 494/CBES 694)
- Laboratory Techniques in Evolutionary Genetics (BIOL 357L)
- Advanced Theory in Ecology and Evolution (BIOL 481)
- Advanced Laboratory and Field Methods in Ecology and Evolution (BIOL 481L)*
- Biochemistry (BIOL 410)
- Introduction to Biology (for non-majors) (BIOL 101)
- Introduction to Biology (zoology focus) (BIOL 150)
