Daniel Graf

Daniel Graf serves as Professor of Biology at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point since 2012, specializing in freshwater mussel research and biodiversity informatics. He directs the NSF-funded MUSSEL project—a global database of freshwater mussels—and maintains the Wisconsin Freshwater Invertebrates digital repository.

His educational foundation includes a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, M.S. from Northeastern University, and B.S. from the University of Minnesota. These qualifications underpin his expertise in systematic malacology and evolutionary biology.

Graf's research centers on freshwater malacology, bivalve systematics, and phylogenetic methodology, with fieldwork spanning African freshwater bivalves and North American post-glacial mussel distributions. His integrative approach combines molecular data with morphological analysis to resolve taxonomic uncertainties and evolutionary patterns in Unionoida.

Publication trends reveal sustained focus on global freshwater mussel diversity (2021-2025), featuring big-data assessments, taxonomic revisions of Asian/African lineages, and family-level classifications. His work bridges traditional systematics with modern biodiversity informatics, establishing foundational resources for conservation efforts.

No scientific awards are documented in available sources.

Research funding includes NSF support for the MUSSEL project and collaborative initiatives like 'Evolution in a Vortex' (Congo River biodiversity) and 'REVSYS' (Gondwanan freshwater mussels). He teaches core courses including Aquatic Invertebrate Zoology and Principles of Evolution, mentoring students through practical fieldwork and database development.

His leadership of the MUSSEL project team and Wisconsin Freshwater Invertebrates website provides critical infrastructure for global malacological research, facilitating data-driven conservation strategies for imperiled freshwater ecosystems.