Ariel Kahrl

Ariel Kahrl is an Assistant Professor of Biology at Hamilton College, focusing on the evolution of reproductive physiology and sexually selected traits in amphibians and reptiles. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Virginia (2017) and completed postdoctoral research at Stockholm University, where she co-developed SpermTree, a database for reproductive trait data across animals.

• Academic Background:
  • Ph.D., University of Virginia
  • B.A., Oberlin College

Her research examines broad patterns of evolution in gamete traits, particularly how physiological mechanisms shape reproductive strategies in frogs, salamanders, and lizards. She integrates experimental biology, comparative analyses, and fieldwork into her studies.

Key Research Trends: Kahrl's recent work spans evolutionary biology, reproductive physiology, and comparative morphology, with a focus on Anolis lizards, sharks, and livebearing fish. Her studies explore how factors like sperm competition, fertilization modes, and environmental pressures drive gamete evolution.

Scientific Awards:

• Edgar F. Shannon Award for Best Graduating Doctoral Student (2017)
• National Science Foundation Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant (2015)

Kahrl actively involves students in her research, blending lab and classroom experiences. Her lab at Hamilton College focuses on amphibian sperm evolution since Fall 2022, with broader affiliations to societies like the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology and Society for the Study of Evolution.