Luke J Harmon

Luke J Harmon serves as Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences within the College of Science at the University of Idaho, with additional appointments in the Initiative for Bioinformatics and Evolutionary Studies, Institute for Interdisciplinary Data Sciences, and Office of Research and Economic Development.

Education:

• PhD in Evolution, Ecology, and Population Biology (2005) from Washington University in St. Louis
• BS in Zoology (1998) from Iowa State University

Research Focus: Harmon's work integrates phylogenetic comparative methods with computational biology to investigate adaptive radiations, trait evolution, and biogeographic patterns. His research bridges micro-macroevolutionary scales through innovative statistical modeling, particularly in evolutionary medicine applications and speciation dynamics. As developer of key R packages (rwty, treeducken, SSARP), he advances methodological frameworks for analyzing evolutionary rates and character correlations.

Publication Trends: Recent work (2022-2025) demonstrates increasing emphasis on software tool development for phylogenetic analysis, with significant contributions to evolutionary oncology, fire-adapted trait evolution in conifers, and niche theory applications in adaptive radiations. His publications consistently address methodological challenges in modeling rate heterogeneity, species delimitation, and cross-scale evolutionary processes.

Research Infrastructure: Harmon leads the Harmon Lab, which operates within the University of Idaho's Initiative for Bioinformatics and Evolutionary Studies. The lab focuses on computational approaches to evolutionary questions, leveraging high-performance computing resources and interdisciplinary collaborations through the Institute for Interdisciplinary Data Sciences.