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Evolution, Behavior, and Conservation Biology

Professor Dearborn is interested in two broad questions: (1) why do animals (or other organisms) do the things they do?  and (2) how we can do a better job of mitigating our impacts on the natural world? Recurring research themes include mate choice, parental investment strategies, population structure, and host-parasite evolution. Most of this work is with seabirds and songbirds, using a mix of field methods and genetics tools.   Along those lines, his current lineup of courses at Bates includes: Avian Biology,  Genetics of Conservation Biology, and Advanced Topics in Evolution.  For more information, see www.bates.edu/~ddearbor