Sara Via

Sara Via is a Professor in the Department of Entomology at the University of Maryland's College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Her research focuses on ecological genetics, speciation, and host-plant specialization in insects, particularly the pea aphid system.

• B.A. in Zoology, Duke University (1974)
• M.Sc. in Insect Neurobiology, Australian National University (1976)
• Ph.D. in Zoology (minor in Statistics), Duke University (1983)
• Postdoctoral work at University of Chicago (1983-84)

Via's work examines the genetic architecture underlying reproductive isolation and local adaptation in sympatric pea aphid populations. She investigates how host plant choice drives speciation, using QTL mapping and population genomics to identify genomic regions associated with specialization.

Her research has been funded by prestigious awards including the Searle Scholars Award and NIH grants. She has served as Vice President of the American Society of Naturalists and received the University of Maryland's Distinguished Scholar-Teacher Award.

• Notable Contributions:
• Identified host-associated genetic differentiation in pea aphids
• Elucidated QTLs involved in reproductive isolation
• Documented ecological speciation mechanisms in agricultural systems