Research in the Light lab is focused broadly in evolutionary biology with a focus on systematics, population genetics, and coevolutionary associations between distantly related organisms, particularly mammals and their parasites. In general, our research relies on field work and Museum specimens, and we use molecular and morphological data from recently collected and ancient specimens to help elucidate broad evolutionary processes operating in distantly related taxa. Please see the Projects and Publications page for more examples of ongoing research in the Light lab.

Link to list of popular press articles documenting the importance of collections (as published in the Journal of Mammalogy). Reference: Cook, J.A. and J.E. Light. 2019. The emerging role of mammal collections in 21st century mammalogy. Journal of Mammalogy. in press.

News!
News Archive

May 2019

• Super duper congratulations to Whitney on passing her dissertation defense! Whitney is the first Light lab PhD student to defend and she did a superb job. Congratulations, Whitney!
• Leila has passed her proposal defense. Great job, Leila!
• Congratulations to our 2019 WFSC graduates (especially David, Lacie, and Melanie)!
• Manuscript (re)submitted!
• Congratulations to Whitney! She was awarded best presentation at the 2019 Houston Regional Ecology & Evolution Student Symposium
• May is going to be an exciting month....stay tuned!

April 2019

• Manuscript submitted! Starting April off right...maybe there will be a few more??
• #2019MMM has come to a close. Congrats to Bengal Tiger, this year's champion! Reviews of the battle at Wakelet and the Rodent Roundtable 

Contact the Light Lab
Texas A&M University
Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences
Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Mailing address: 534 John Kimbrough Blvd., TAMU 2258; College Station, TX 77843
JEL Office: 268 Wildlife, Fisheries and Ecological Sciences (Building 1537). 979-458-4357

This website was last updated 21 May 2019