Shinichi Nakagawa

Shinichi Nakagawa is a Professor of Evolutionary Ecology and Synthesis at the University of Alberta's Faculty of Science, Biological Sciences Department. He holds the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Open Science and Synthesis in Ecology and Evolution. His research focuses on quantifying biological variation through meta-analysis and synthesis, with a strong emphasis on open science practices. He leads a lab that explores topics in ecology, evolutionary biology, and environmental sciences, while also advancing meta-science to improve research transparency and reproducibility.

Dr. Nakagawa earned his BSc(Hons) at the University of Waikato and PhD at the University of Sheffield. He previously held positions at the University of Otago (2008–2015) and the University of New South Wales (2015–2024). He is the founder of EcoEvoRxiv, a preprint server for ecology and evolution, and actively promotes open science through initiatives like the Society for Open, Reliable, Transparent Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (SORTEE).

His research interests include quantitative ecology, statistical methodology for meta-analysis, and understanding biological variability. Key areas of focus include thermal physiology in ectotherms, sexual selection, and the impacts of climate change on biodiversity. He has authored influential papers on meta-analytic techniques, including location-scale models and variance-based analyses.

Notable contributions include the development of the 'orchard plot' visualization tool for meta-analyses and advocacy for preregistration and open data practices. His work bridges ecological theory with data synthesis, emphasizing reproducibility and methodological rigor. Awards include the Canada Excellence Research Chair, recognizing his leadership in advancing open science and ecological synthesis.