Cynthia Hays

Professor Cynthia Hays is a marine evolutionary ecologist and faculty member in the Department of Biology at Keene State College. Her research examines how genetic processes (gene flow, inbreeding, adaptation) shape species distribution at ecological margins amid environmental change, using molecular genetics, modeling, and fieldwork. She integrates this research into undergraduate education, mentoring students in her lab.

Teaching: Professor Hays instructs courses including:

• BIO 210: Ecology
• BIO 111: Evolution
• Experimental Marine Ecology
• Phycology
• Quantitative Conservation Biology
• Conservation in the Sea (for non-majors)

Research Focus: Her work addresses critical questions about evolutionary resilience, range shifts, and extinction risks in marine ecosystems, with emphasis on practical, hands-on student training.