Kenneth Kozak

Kenneth Kozak serves as Associate Professor and Curator of the Amphibians & Reptiles Collection at the Bell Museum, University of Minnesota. He teaches Herpetology (FW 4101) in odd-year springs and Conservation Genetics (FW 4301) from the Ecology Building, with contact via kozak016@umn.edu.

Education

• Ph.D. from Washington University

Research Focus

Dr. Kozak's program investigates amphibian and reptile diversification through phylogeography, molecular ecology, and historical biogeography. His lab integrates molecular evolutionary reconstructions with spatial-environmental data to examine how climate, geology, and landscapes shape genetic variation and species diversity. Current projects address salamander speciation mechanisms, climate change impacts on montane amphibians, and drivers of biodiversity gradients across latitude and elevation.

Publication Trends

His 2018-2024 publications reveal consistent emphasis on salamander evolution and climate responses. Key themes include river drainage reorganization in speciation, post-Pleistocene dispersal patterns, species distribution modeling for conservation, and thermal physiology constraints. Work bridges molecular phylogenetics, spatial ecology, and conservation biology to address herpetofauna vulnerability.

Advising and Grants

Specific details about graduate students or research funding sources were not provided in the source material.

Laboratory and Approach

Dr. Kozak leads an interdisciplinary research group combining field collections, molecular analyses, and GIS-based spatial modeling. His team's work supports conservation through biodiversity informatics and predictive frameworks for species responses to environmental change.