Chris Smith, Ph.D.

About me

I am a teacher-scholar with a particular interest in the ecology and evolution of societies, division of labor, the genetics and genomics of caste systems in ants. I have led the College’s off-campus program in New Zealand.

My favorite activities are: Family.  I’d love to play more sports (tennis, volleyball, soccer) if I could.

I chose to work at Earlham in order to interact directly with students in and out of the classroom.  I enjoy being at a place that practices its principles (respect, integrity, simplicity, and community).

Education

• Ph.D., University of Illinois
• M.S., Florida State University
• B.S., University of Texas, Austin
• B.A., University of Texas, Austin

Professional memberships

• International Union for the Study of Social Insects
• Entomological Society of America
• Animal Behavior Society

Research projects

The nature and nurture of caste determination in social insects from gene expression to ecology. Comparative genomics in ants. Ant foraging ecology and decision making.

Collaborative student research experiences

• The genomics of caste determination in harvester ants
• Optimal foraging in slime molds
• The metagenomics of agricultural soils
• The trophic ecology of division of labor in insect societies

Off-campus study experiences

New Zealand Program (2014)

Scholarly interest

The ecology and evolution of societies, division of labor, the genetics and genomics of caste systems in ants.

Published works

A complete list of my publications is online at Google Scholar.