Steven M Carr

Dr. Steven M. Carr is Professor of Biology at Memorial University of Newfoundland with a cross-appointment in Population Genetics to the Faculty of Medicine and affiliations with the Department of Computer Science. His research laboratory focuses on molecular and genome evolution within vertebrate species, with particular expertise in phylogeographic analysis using complete mitochondrial DNA genomes.

Dr. Carr earned his BSc in Biology from California Polytechnic State University (1975), followed by a CPhil (1978) and PhD (1983) in Genetics from the University of California, Berkeley. His research methodology combines traditional molecular genetics with computational approaches, including Monte Carlo simulations and neural network analysis of genomic data.

His primary research areas include: phylogeographic genomics of fisheries and wildlife populations (Atlantic Cod, Wolffish, Harp Seals, Newfoundland Caribou); biogeographic evolution of cods and pollocks; population genomic structure of Newfoundland's founding human populations; and development of novel biotechnologies including DNA sequencing microarrays. His work bridges evolutionary biology, conservation genetics, and computational genomics.

Analysis of Dr. Carr's publication record reveals a clear progression from traditional phylogeographic studies toward increasingly sophisticated genomic analyses incorporating machine learning techniques. His recent work on honey bee evolution challenges established hypotheses about their biogeographic origins, while his research on ancient DNA lineages connects Newfoundland's Indigenous history with contemporary populations.

• Genome Editor's Choice Award, April 2020
• Genome Editor's Choice Award, August 2018

Dr. Carr has successfully mentored numerous graduate students through PhD, MSc, and honors thesis programs, with research topics spanning conservation genetics, population genomics, and computational biology. His teaching portfolio includes Principles of Genetics (Biol 2250), Advanced Genetics (Biol 4241), Principles of Biotechnology (Biol 3950), and Evolutionary Genetics (Biol 4250), where he integrates theoretical concepts with practical genomic applications.

The Carr Lab operates at the intersection of biology, computer science, and statistics, maintaining active collaborations with fisheries scientists, wildlife biologists, and medical researchers to address complex questions in evolutionary genomics and conservation biology.