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Evolutionary biology and zoology

 

 

Image: Greg Rouse

I am a biologist interested in the evolution of animal biodiversity.​ I use genetic tools to explore patterns of diversity and to infer the processes that have created these patterns. My research involves population genetic and phylogenetic methods to uncover evolutionary divergences and understand their causes. I use this data to understand the evolution of morphological and life history traits and the geographic distribution of animals.

I am currently an Assistant Professor as a Villum Young Investigator at the University of Copenhagen. In addition to our work on the Bird 10,000 Genomes project, the lab will work on evolutionary novelties in seahorses, seadragons and pipefishes.

Stay tuned for PhD student and postdoc advertisements and please get in touch if you are interested in BSc or MSc thesis!

to About

    About    

Image: Jon Middleton

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Assistant Professor
University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Department of Biology
Ecology and Evolution
Universitetsparken 15, 2100 København Ø
josefin.stiller@bio.ku.dk

Postdoc

University of Copenhagen, Denmark. 2017-2021

PhD in Marine Biology
Scripps Institution of Oceanography,
University of California San Diego, USA. 2017

MSc in Organismic Biology & Evolution
Humboldt University Berlin, Germany. 2012

BSc in Biology
Free University Berlin, Germany. 2009

to Research

Research

See some examples of research I am involved in below by hovering over the images.

Scroll down for videos featuring our work.

to Videos

Videos about the Ruby Seadragon and Public lectures

MicroCT scan of a ruby seadragon

Stiller, Wilson & Rouse (2015)
MicroCT scan of a ruby seadragon
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MicroCT scan of a ruby seadragon

MicroCT scan of a ruby seadragon

00:20
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Skeleton of the ruby seadragon

Skeleton of the ruby seadragon

00:12
Play Video
Ruby seadragon live

Ruby seadragon live

02:23
Play Video
To Media and Artwork

In the media & seadragon art

This gallery shows a selection of media coverage of seadragons (mostly of the Ruby seadragon) and, more recently, of work I have contributed to projects on bird genomics. 
You can also find links to some of my favorite art pieces involving seadragons by skilled artists.
Click the panels to visit the websites.
Ancient eggshells

Ancient eggshells

This was so fun to work on, not just because the project investigated a 2 m tall extinct bird, but because it brought together a fantastic team from archaeology and evolutionary biology. DeepMind made this short movie about what we found out about the "demon duck of doom".

New Yorker piece on bird phylogeny

New Yorker piece on bird phylogeny

Science author Ben Crair did a stellar job of describing the complexities involved in reconstructing the phylogeny of modern birds. Speaking to Ben was so fun that I ended up talking about my childhood. Kudos to Ben for bringing phylogenomics to a broad audience.

New York Times

New York Times

A wonderful article by Carl Zimmer on a paper by Gelabert et al. in Current Biology on the genome sequence of an extinct parrot, the Carolina parakeet.

New York Times

New York Times

Article by Nicholas St. Fleur

ScienceFriday

ScienceFriday

Wonderful article by Alisa Opar

Gorgeous scientific illustration

Gorgeous scientific illustration

Natalie Renier's science illustrations are not only beautiful but informative and engaging. Check out her work, you will be amazed.

Washington Post

Washington Post

Article by Nick Kirkpatrick

Ruby on Sherman's Lagoon

Ruby on Sherman's Lagoon

Hilarious marine-themed comic strip by Jim Toomey, which featured the mighty Ruby Seadragon as a neighbor to Sherman and Hawthorne.

WIRED

WIRED

Article by Matt Burgess

Top10 New Species 2016

Top10 New Species 2016

Beautiful artwork by Alina Loth

Beautiful artwork by Alina Loth

From the fantastic the Oceans & the Seas blog

SpiegelOnline

SpiegelOnline

National Geographic

National Geographic

Article by Michael Greshko

Biosphere Magazine

Biosphere Magazine

Squidtoons

Squidtoons

Seadragons and Game of Thrones?! Check our their site, Squidtoons are THE BEST!

Christian Science Monitor

Christian Science Monitor

Wonderful article by Eva Botkin-Kowacki

tagesschau

tagesschau

Ruby on the national German news service tagesschau

Top10 science stories

Top10 science stories

Ruby made it in this list of the most exciting scientific stories of 2017!

University of Copenhagen

Department of Biology

Ecology and Evolution

Universitetsparken 15

2100 København Ø

 

josefin.stiller@bio.ku.dk

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