Matt Forister

Matt Forister is a Foundation Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Nevada, Reno, and holds the Trevor J. McMinn Endowed Research Professorship in Biology. His research focuses on plant-insect ecology, dietary specialization, evolutionary diversification, and conservation biology.

Research Interests: The Forister lab investigates evolutionary interactions across trophic levels, phenology, population regulation, and insect biodiversity conservation. Fieldwork spans the Great Basin, Sierra Nevada, and tropical regions, while lab studies integrate physiological experiments and genomic sequencing of novel insect models.

Publication Trends: Recent work examines global diet breadth patterns in herbivores, climate-driven population dynamics in butterflies, host shift genetics, and chemical ecology's role in tropical biodiversity. Studies often bridge evolutionary theory with conservation applications.

Scientific Awards:

• Trevor J. McMinn Endowed Research Professorship in Biology (established 2015)

Contact: Office located in Building FA, Room 257, University of Nevada, Reno. Email: mforister@unr.edu