# Biodiversity & Systematics Faculty Through a variety of field, laboratory, and model-based evolutionary studies along with the outstanding collections, facilities and other resources of Harvard’s natural history institutions—the Museum of Comparative Zoology, the Harvard University Herbaria, the Arnold Arboretum, and the Harvard Forest—we investigate the origins and maintenance of biodiversity, without restriction to organism. Two of the strengths in the department are in the areas of documenting and describing biodiversity and in the study of the biogeographical and phylogenetic relationships among organisms. [### Colleen Cavanaugh ](/people/colleen-cavanaugh) Sabbatical Academic Year 2025-2026 Edward C. Jeffrey Professor of Biology Not Accepting Graduate Students for 2026-2027 ![Colleen Cavanauth with medium dark hair wearing glasses, a black top and grey jacket in front of grey background](/sites/g/files/omnuum6811/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/oeb/files/colleen_cavanaugh_crop.jpeg?itok=lYix3xo3) [### Charles C. Davis ](/people/charles-c-davis) Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Curator of Vascular Plants in the Harvard University Herbaria ![Charles Davis, with short brown hair wearing a suit outside in front of a tree](/sites/g/files/omnuum6811/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/oeb/files/charles_davis_crop.jpeg?itok=iVPwX7wY) [### Scott V. Edwards ](/people/scott-v-edwards) Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Curator of Ornithology in the Museum of Comparative Zoology ![Scott Edwards smiling, with short grey hair and beard, wearing light blue button down, with light grey background](/sites/g/files/omnuum6811/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/oeb/files/scott_edwards_crop.jpeg?itok=CTYKumrd) [### Brian D. Farrell ](/people/brian-d-farrell) Sabbatical Academic Year 2025-2026 Monique and Philip Lehner Professor for the Study of Latin America Professor of Biology Curator of Entomology in the Museum of Comparative Zoology ![Brian D. Farrell with grey beard and hair, wearing white short sleeve button down, with spike green leaves behind him](/sites/g/files/omnuum6811/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/oeb/files/farrell.jpg?itok=B9n0E1GD) [### William (Ned) Friedman ](/people/william-friedman) Arnold Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Director of the Arnold Arboretum Faculty Fellow of the Arnold Arboretum ![William Friedman smiling, with gray hair and glasses wearing a suit, in front of leafy trees](/sites/g/files/omnuum6811/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/oeb/files/willian_friedman.jpg?itok=fGW9xW-w) [### Peter R. Girguis ](/people/peter-r-girguis) Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Co-Director of the Harvard Microbial Sciences Initiative ![Peter Girguis wearing blue blazer, white shirt and glasses, in front of leaf covered building](/sites/g/files/omnuum6811/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/oeb/files/peter_girguis_by_kristen_deangelis_crop.jpeg?itok=EO4dQGlH) [### Gonzalo Giribet ](/people/gonzalo-giribet) Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Curator of Invertebrate Zoology in the Museum of Comparative Zoology Director of the Museum of Comparative Zoology ![Gonzalo Giribet sitting, with short hair, wearing white button down, in front of white wall with framed picture](/sites/g/files/omnuum6811/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/oeb/files/gonzalo_giribet_2021.jpeg?itok=F_EdC_b4) [### Hopi E. Hoekstra ](/people/hopi-e-hoekstra) [hopi\_hoekstra@harvard.edu](mailto:hopi_hoekstra@harvard.edu)Edgerley Family Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences C.Y. Chan Professor of Arts and Sciences Xiaomeng Tong and Yu Chen Professor of Life Sciences Senior Fellow of the Society of Fellows, ex officio Not Accepting Graduate Students ![Hopi Hoekstra smiling, learning on doorway, with long hair and black shirt with white pattern](/sites/g/files/omnuum6811/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/oeb/files/hopi_hoekstra.jpeg?itok=iTl97Pr8) [### Noel Michele Holbrook ](/people/noel-m-holbrook) Sabbatical Academic Year 2025-2026 Charles Bullard Professor of Forestry Faculty Fellow of the Arnold Arboretum Affiliate of Environmental Science and Engineering ![Professor Noel Michele Holbrook standing in a field wearing a purple top](/sites/g/files/omnuum6811/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/2026-01/NM%20Holbrook%20cropped.jpg?itok=2mhe1mBK) [### Mandë Holford ](/people/mande-holford) Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Curator of Malacology in the Museum of Comparative Zoology ![Mande Holford, smiling, with long dark hair and blue and white patterned tops, in front of dark background](/sites/g/files/omnuum6811/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/oeb/files/mande_holford.jpg?itok=m6_FG0Zu) [### Robin Hopkins ](/people/robin-hopkins) Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Faculty Fellow of the Arnold Arboretum ![Robin Hopkins smiling, with short hair, grey sweater and pink top, in front of light grey background](/sites/g/files/omnuum6811/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/oeb/files/robin_hopkins_crop.jpeg?itok=WSizin16) [### Elena Kramer ](/people/elena-kramer) Bussey Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Dean of Science Education Faculty Fellow of the Arnold Arboretum Co-Director of Harvard Integrated Life Sciences Director of Graduate Programs in the Natural Sciences ![Elena Kramer smiling, with long dark hair, glasses, and wearing a blue shirt, in front of grey background](/sites/g/files/omnuum6811/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/oeb/files/elena_kramer_crop.jpeg?itok=gh8aGCM1) [### George V. Lauder ](/people/george-v-lauder) Henry Bryant Bigelow Professor of Ichthyology Curator of Ichthyology in the Museum of Comparative Zoology ![George Lauder with short gray hair wearing glasses and a plaid shirt in front of grey background](/sites/g/files/omnuum6811/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/oeb/files/george_lauder_crop.jpeg?itok=SCZBahUU) [### James Mallet ](/people/james-mallet) Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology in Residence Associate of the Museum of Comparative Zoology ![James Mallet with short grey hair, wearing white shirt and dark jacket, with grass and brick building behind him](/sites/g/files/omnuum6811/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/oeb/files/jamesmallet_photobytonyrinaldo.jpeg?itok=S8FG4AhT) [### Javier Ortega-Hernández ](/people/javier-ortega-hernandez) Associate Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Curator of Invertebrate Paleontology in the Museum of Comparative Zoology Affiliate of the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences ![Javier Ortega-Hernandez wearing colorful glasses, a pink check shirt, and with a short dark beard, in front of grey background](/sites/g/files/omnuum6811/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/oeb/files/javier_ortega-hernandez_crop.jpeg?itok=RFA7tedh) [### Naomi E. Pierce ](/people/naomi-e-pierce) Sidney A. and John H. Hessel Professor of Biology Curator of Lepidoptera in the Museum of Comparative Zoology Senior Fellow of the Society of Fellows ![Naomi Pierce with long grey hair pulled back, glasses on head, dark sweater, light shirt, and colorful scarf](/sites/g/files/omnuum6811/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/oeb/files/naomi_pierce_crop.jpeg?itok=ZQmyvtl1) [### Mansi Srivastava ](/people/mansi-srivastava) Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Curator of Invertebrate Zoology in the Museum of Comparative Zoology Co-Chair of the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology ![Mansi Srivistava with long, brown hair wearing a green blouse, in front of grey background](/sites/g/files/omnuum6811/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/oeb/files/mansi_srivastava_crop.jpeg?itok=GBxFocqa)