Zhiwei Liu

Dr. Zhiwei Liu is Professor of Biological Sciences at Eastern Illinois University. His research centers on the phylogenetics, systematics, and evolution of cynipoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipoidea), with additional work in molecular taxonomy, conservation genetics, and host-parasite coevolution.

Research interests include evolutionary patterns in insect lineages, molecular phylogenetics of Hymenoptera, conservation genetics of mammalian species (American beaver, red squirrels), phenotypic plasticity in grasshoppers, and Wolbachia-endosymbiont dynamics. Fieldwork focuses on Asian insect biodiversity, particularly gall-forming wasps in China.

Publications demonstrate expertise in integrating morphological and genomic approaches for taxonomic revisions. Recent articles reveal increasing use of mitochondrial genome analysis and molecular diagnostics, while earlier works emphasized morphological descriptions and ecological associations. Studies frequently document new species from understudied Asian ecosystems.

Dr. Liu teaches courses including Evolution, Systematics, Biogeography, and Plant-Animal Interactions. Office hours are held Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 11am-12pm in Life Science Building 1162.