Danielle Edwards

Danielle Edwards's picture
Assoc Rsrch Scientist Ecology/Evolutionary Bio
Address: 
21 Sachem St, New Haven, CT 06511-3706
203-432-3886
I study the evolution of a range of vertebrate taxa focussing on reconstructing the biogeographic history of regions in a comparative context and understanding the interplay between evolution, morphology and the environment. I completed my Ph.D. in 2008 working with Prof. Dale Roberts at The University of Western Australia on the comparative biogeography of endemic south-western Australian myobatrachid frogs. I also did my molecular lab work for this project in Prof. Scott Keogh’s lab at The Australian National University. Also during this time I undertook a research position with Dr. Jane Melville at Museum Victoria looking at the phylogeographic history of two eastern Australian agamids, Diporiphora australis and D. nobbi. My research on frogs and lizards from this period also resulted in the description of two new species (Arenophryne xiphorhyncha - a myobatrachid frog from the Kalbarri region in Western Australia, and Diporiphora phaeospinosa - an agamid from the Blackdown Tablelands region of central Queensland).
 
My postdoctoral research has taken me to many different labs and to multiple continents! My first postdoctoral position was back at The Australian National University with Prof. Scott Keogh looking at the comparative phylogeography of south-western Australian reptiles, part of my research at ANU was self-funded by a fellowship from the Australian National Wildlife Collection with Dr. Leo Joseph. I then undertook a postdoctoral position with Prof. Lacey Knowles at The University of Michigan continuing my research on the south-western Australian reptile system. I am currently an Associate Research Scientist in the lab of Dr. Gisella Caccone in both The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and The Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies at Yale University. My research at Yale endeavors to unravel the evolutionary history Galápagos giant tortoises, identify hybrids of conservation importance and uncover the landscape processes driving patterns of geneflow between populations of Galápagos giant tortoises. I am also continuing to work on Australian reptiles.
 
I am deeply committed to working with young female scientists to ensure greater retention of women in academia. I have been fortunate to participate in fantastic programs, such as WEBS (Women Evolving Biological Sciences), which I hope will continue on into the future and would encourage all women in the biological sciences to get behind. I am currently a graduate student mentor in the WISAY (Women in Science at Yale) Program, and I myself mentor two young female scientists here at Yale. I have also actively participated in community outreach programs for various school and community organizations.