Ben Vernasco, Ph.D.
I am an integrative organismal biologist fascinated by the causes and consequences of variation in fitness-related traits and behaviors. I use an integrative approach to address applied and fundamental ecological and evolutionary questions in both free-living and captive animals.
My research combines modern technologies and molecular techniques to gain an understanding of the causes and consequences of intraspecific and interspecific variation.
I am currently an ORISE Fellow working with Adam Duarte at the Pacific Northwest Research Station. I received my Bachelor's Degree in Applied Vertebrate Ecology from the Wildlife Department at Humboldt State University. I then conducted my doctoral research at Virginia Tech and was co-advised by Drs. Ignacio Moore and Brandt Ryder. Following my PhD, I conducted postdoctoral research in the lab of Dr. Heather Watts at Washington State University Pullman.