Auston Marmaduke Kilpatrick
| Title | Assistant Professor |
| Division | Physical & Biological Sciences |
| Department | Ecology & Evolutionary Biology |
| Affiliations | Environmental Studies Department |
| Phone | 831-459-5070 |
| Web Site | Kilpatrick Lab Publications |
| Office | A332 Earth & Marine Sciences |
| Campus Mail Stop | EE Biology / EMS |
| 1156 High Street Santa Cruz, CA 95064 |
Research Interests
Ecology of Infectious Diseases & Population BiologyMy research unites theory and empirical work to address basic and applied questions on the ecology of infectious diseases as well as population biology, evolution, climate, behavior, genetics, and conservation, and I would be excited to develop collaborations and advise graduate students in any of these areas. A key aim is to understand the underlying drivers of pathogen transmission and the impacts on host populations. My general research philosophy is to begin each project by developing a model of the system to generate hypotheses and then test these hypotheses by gathering empirical data. My current research can be divided into three general areas:
* Local determinants of pathogen transmission,
* The impact of disease on animal populations, and
* The spread of pathogens to new regions.
Much of my current work in disease ecology is focused on West Nile virus, a mosquito-transmitted pathogen that currently causes thousands of human cases each year, as well as affecting millions of animals. However, I also work on several other pathogen systems including chytridiomycosis, Lyme disease, Brucellosis, and avian influenza.
Biography, Education and Training
B.A. Philosophy, University of California, Los AngelesB.S. Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles
M.S. Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Ph.D. Zoology, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Senior Research Scientist, Consortium for Conservation Medicine
Courses Taught
Disease Ecology (BIOE 149)Ecology (BIOE 107)
Models in Ecology and Evolution (BIOE 295)
Advanced Organismal Biology (BIOE 200B)
Undergraduate Research In Ecology And Evolutionary Biology (BIOE 183)
Advisees, Post Docs, Graduate Students, Researchers
| Name | E-Mail Address | Phone Number |
|---|---|---|
| Katherine Maria McClure | ||
| Jordan Elspeth Ruybal | ||
| Tina Lor Tien Cheng | ||
| Kate Elizabeth Langwig |