Naomi E. Pierce, 2010 WINGS Elected Fellow

"Doing science is 99% drudgery and only 1% thrilling discovery, so plan accordingly. Still, always follow your passions, and try not to forget to have children." — Naomi E. Pierce

Hessel Professor of Biology, Harvard University, and Curator of Lepidpotera, Museum of Comparative Zoology

Born: 1954-01-01

Hometown: Denver, CO

Education: PhD in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology

Achievements

Discoveries: The symbiotic interactions between ants and other organisms; ants as a whole diversified at the same time as flowering plants; many herbivoroues ants harbor symbiotic bacteria that provide them with essential nutrients.

Expeditions: Numerous expeditions to Australia, Borneo, Southeast Asia, and Africa

Biography

Naomi Pierce is interested in behavioral ecology and the evolution of species interactions. Her students and she study model genetic systems as well as model ecological ones. In collaboration with Frederick Ausubel's lab at Harvard Medical School, they are analyzing genetic mechanisms and biochemical signaling pathways underlying three-way interactions between plants (Arabidopsis thaliana), pathogens (Pseudomonas syringae) and insects (Trichoplusia ni). At the Museum of Comparative Zoology, they are measuring characters and sequencing genes from butterflies in the family Lycaenidae (blues, coppers and hairstreaks). The caterpillars of the majority of species in this group, which contains more than 6000 species, have complex interactions with ants, and Pierce and her team are using molecular and morphological data to reconstruct their evolutionary history. A long term goal of this research is to clarify the systematics and classification of these insects, and to investigate how host plant and ant associations have shaped their patterns of diversification. In the field, they are also investigating behavioral and ecological mechanisms maintaining species specific interactions between lycaenids and ants. This research has taken them on a regular basis to locations around the world, including Australia, South Africa, Japan and Borneo. Support for this research has come in part from the National Science Foundation, the Macarthur Foundation, the Baker Foundation, the Putnam Expeditionary Fund of the MCZ, and the Milton and Clark Funds of Harvard University.

Fun Facts

Favorite Item to have in the field: Field bag, net, insect dissection kit, vials with ethanol, glassine envelopes

Heroes: Alfred Russel Wallace and Maria Sibylla Merian

Publications

The Biology of Australian Butterflies