Identifying the drivers that generate life and diversity is one of the primarily aims of Evolutionary Biology. My research uses quantitative and qualitative means to describe biodiversity and study the internal (genomic) and external (environmental) factors that promote and inhibit speciation and give rise to extant phenotypic diversity. Using a combination of my own field-based collecting efforts, as well as natural history collections in museums, my research aims to I) use large molecular datasets to identify patterns and correlations in environmental and genomic data, and determine how this relates to species richness and diversity, II) discover the genomic mechanisms that allow organism to adapt their environments and facilitate diversification, and III) reconstruct biogeography and speciation scenarios of poorly studied groups using various datatypes. My research primarily uses molecular data, but also relies on morphological, ecological, and environmental data, along with computer software and bioinformatic pipelines. While I have worked on multiple herpetofaunal systems (Squamates: lizards and snakes), my research has a heavy focus on serpents as model systems! Check out the Publications page to see my research or the About Justin page for my contact, social media, and information about me!