Marc Branham, Professor and Graduate Coordinator from the University of Florida, presents "The Evolution of Bioluminescent Signals in Fireflies"
- https://ento.psu.edu/events/marc-branham-seminar
- Marc Branham Seminar
- 2026-09-11T11:15:00-04:00
- 2026-09-11T12:05:00-04:00
- Marc Branham, Professor and Graduate Coordinator from the University of Florida, presents "The Evolution of Bioluminescent Signals in Fireflies"
Dr. Marc Branham is a Professor in the Department of Entomology and Nematology where he teaches several courses focusing on behavioral ecology and systematics of insects, including courses on Behavioral Ecology, Insect Classification, and Immature Insects. Research in the Branham Lab focuses on the insect systematics and the evolution of behavior. He is one of the leading authorities on fireflies and evolution of their communication systems. Dr. Branham’s research on fireflies has been highlighted in the traveling museum exhibit “Creatures of Light” organized by the American Museum of National History as well as documentaries by the BBC, NOVA and National Geographic. He received his Ph.D. in Entomology (2002) from The Ohio State University, and his M.S. in Entomology (1995), and B.S. in Organismal Biology from the University of Kansas. In 2002, Dr. Branham was awarded the Theodore Roosevelt Postdoctoral Fellowship from the American Museum of Natural History, NY, NY where he received postdoctoral training in molecular systematics. From 2011-2012, Dr. Branham served as a Program Officer at the National Science Foundation, in the Division of Environmental Biology. Dr. Branham has also served as the president of the Systematics, Evolution and Biodiversity Section of the Entomological Society of America, a member of the Executive Board of the Coleopterists Society and on the Board of Directors for the Zoological Lighting Institute.
