Robert C. Thomson

Robert C. Thomson is a Professor in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. He serves as Editor-In-Chief Elect for Systematic Biology and chairs the Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology Graduate Program. He is also a Research Associate in Herpetology at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.

His research focuses on evolutionary biology, phylogenetics, and conservation biology, with emphasis on reptiles and amphibians. Recent work includes turtle phylogenies, whiptail lizard hybridization networks, and phylogenomic methods development. His lab applies computational tools to address biodiversity questions and conservation challenges.

Notable contributions include groundbreaking studies on climate-driven diversification patterns in turtles and the evolutionary dynamics of hybrid species complexes. He actively collaborates with institutions globally and mentors students in systematic biology.

Professional service includes editorial roles and leadership in graduate education programs. Current research trends reflect integration of genomic data with ecological datasets to understand evolutionary processes in changing environments.

Advising highlights include PhD graduate Val Alvarez, now at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. His lab maintains an active workshop series on phylogenomic methods and participates in major conferences like Evolution 2025.