Daniel S. Park

Daniel S. Park is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Purdue University, where he investigates how evolutionary history and ecological interactions shape biodiversity patterns amid global environmental crises. His work addresses anthropogenic impacts through interdisciplinary approaches spanning biogeography, systematics, and ecology.

Dr. Park's research centers on biogeographic and evolutionary mechanisms driving plant diversity responses to climate change and biological invasions, with specialized focus on the sunflower family (Asteraceae). He integrates fieldwork, labwork, informatics, and simulations across empirical and theoretical systems—from lemurs in Madagascar to knotweed on volcanic islands—to model past, present, and future ecosystem dynamics. His methodology emphasizes big-data analysis of historical specimens alongside contemporary observations.

He directs a dynamic research lab comprising PhD candidates, graduate students, and postdocs examining plant-insect interactions, phenology shifts, invasive species evolution, and marine red algae phylogenetics. Current advisees include Haley Flickinger (PhD candidate studying ecosystem-level impacts of invasions), Marisa Laitinen (graduate student researching climate-driven phenology), and Edilene Pestana (visiting PhD student analyzing marine algal evolution). The lab prioritizes observational studies of natural complexity while leveraging historical ecological data.