Jaime Chaves

Jaime Chaves is an Associate Professor of Evolutionary Biology at San Francisco State University's Department of Biology. He holds joint positions as Adjunct Professor at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and Universidad San Francisco de Quito, and is a Research Fellow at the California Academy of Sciences. His research focuses on evolutionary mechanisms shaping biodiversity in the Neotropics, particularly Galápagos endemic species like Darwin’s finches.

Education: Ph.D., UCLA (2010); M.Sc., San Francisco State University (2004); B.S., Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador (2001).

Research interests include phylogenetics, speciation, and conservation genetics. Key projects explore beak evolution in Darwin’s finches, microbiome adaptations in blood-feeding vampire finches, and genomic impacts of human activities. His work combines molecular genetics with field studies, emphasizing international collaborations with local communities.

Recent publications highlight urbanization effects on finch evolution, Galápagos rail genetics, and plant-microbe interactions in endemic Scalesia daisies. Awards include recognition as a California Academy of Sciences Fellow (2024).

Labs and teams: Chaves Lab at SFSU focuses on island biodiversity. Collaborations span institutions like the Galápagos Science Center and the University of Exeter, addressing threats from invasive species and climate change.