Kenneth M. Halanych, PhD

Alumni Professor & Coordinator, Marine Biology Program
Auburn University

Dr. Halanych is currently Stewart Schneller Endowed Chair and Alumni Professor of Biology at Auburn University. His research interests include evolutionary origins and relationships of major metazoan lineages, Antarctic phylogeography, molecular systematics and phylogenetic theory, marine invertebrate evolution, and diversification of chemosynthetic fauna. His research efforts have resulted in over 100 peer-reviewed publications, with several receiving special honors and designations. Dr. Halanych has been invited numerous times to lecture by wide range of organizations, and his research results have been regularly presented at professional meetings.

The primary focus of the Halanych lab is researching the evolution of marine invertebrate animals. The lab is directed at understanding how such extensive morphological variation came about by exploring questions on different time scales and with different types of genomic information using molecular evolutionary approaches. The Halanych lab has four main ongoing projects: 1) WormNet 2: Assembling the Annelid Tree of Life; 2) Genetic Connectivity and Biogeographic Patterns of Antarctic Bethnic Invertebrates; 3) Genomic Approaches to Metazoan Evolution, and 4)  Elucidating early animal evolution. Additionally, he has participated in several oceanographic cruises including work in the Gulf of Mexico.

Since joining Auburn University 11 years ago, Dr. Halanych also served as the Marine Biology Program Coordinator. Under his leadership the number of majors has increased from approximately 33 to a high of 133 undergraduate majors. This position has included much student advisory work and service as a liaison with outside labs. As a teaching professor, Dr. Halanych has developed several courses and regularly teaches classes during each semester.

Dr. Halanych also served as a Visiting Full Professor at University of Bergen, Norway and as Visiting Instructor at the Friday Harbor Laboratories, University of Washington. Prior to joining Auburn University, he worked at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and was associated with the Marine Biological Laboratories. Dr. Halanych received his PhD in Zoology from the University of Texas in 1994.

« Back to Board Roster