Rauri C.K. Bowie

Rauri C.K. Bowie is a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, holding the Virginia & Robert Gill Chair in Natural History. His research focuses on evolutionary biology and genomics of vertebrates, particularly birds from Africa and Western North America.

• Key Research Areas: Phylogeography, convergent evolution, microbiome roles in disease/metabolism, adaptive landscapes, and conservation genetics

The Bowie Lab combines fieldwork, museum collections, and genomic approaches to study biological diversity across tropical biomes and temperate regions. Current projects involve nectar-feeding birds, island radiations, and human impacts on genetic connectivity.

Selected publications highlight expertise in:

• Phylogenetic analysis of avian species complexes
• Adaptive traits in montane and aridland systems
• Microbiome dynamics in migratory and resident species
• Conservation genomics of endangered birds

The lab actively promotes inclusivity in science and collaborates on NSF-funded projects investigating:

• Migration impacts on host-pathogen relationships
• Mitochondrial selection in penguins
• Hybridization dynamics in owls and juncos