Transdisciplinary research at the interface of biology, social sciences, mathematics, and
computational science.
I use mathematical models to study complex evolutionary processes. Over the last several years, my research interests have mostly concentrated on the following areas:
- Human origins and the evolution of social complexity
- Major evolutionary transitions
- Speciation and adaptive radiation
- Sexual conflict
- Holey fitness landscapes
Some Recent Media Coverage
Press coverage of Rice WR, Friberg U, Gavrilets S. 2012. Homosexuality as a consequence of epigenetically canalized sexual development. The Quarterly Review of Biology 87:343-368. Published [Online]
- CNN Anderson Cooper 360 (video): Study: Homosexuality can be passed down
- TIME Magazine: New insight into the (epi)genetic roots of homosexuality
- US News & World Report: Scientists may have finally unlocked puzzle of why people are gay
- Cosmos Magazine: Homosexuality starts in the womb, scientists say
- New York Daily News: Scientists uncover possible source of homosexuality
- Science: Homosexuality may start in the womb
- Popular Science: Could scientists have found a gay gene switch?
- WMC-TV (video): UT study: Homosexuality may be inherited
- WBIR (video): UT study may explain inherited homosexuality
- Knoxville News Sentinel: UT experts: Can homosexuality be inherited?
- Huffington Post: New Ideas About the Evolution of Same-Sex Attraction
- Fox News: Homosexuality ultimately a result of gene regulation, researchers find
- Daily Mail: Why some people are gay: New study claims trait is passed from mothers to sons and from fathers to daughters
- Die Welt (Germany): Forscher erklären Mysterium der Homosexualität
- La Repubblica (Italy): L'omosessualità? Questione di epigenetica
- Veja (Brasil): Homossexualidade pode ser influenciada pela epigenética
- Комсомольская Правда (Russia): Геями и лесбиянками становятся по ошибке, которой невозможно избежать
- Газета.ru (Russia): Гомосексуализм на молекулярном уровне
- ИТАР-ТАСС (Russia): Откуда берутся геи и почему справедливость эволюционно полезна
Press coverage of Gavrilets S. 2012. On the evolutionary origins of the egalitarian syndrome. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 109:14069-14074 [Online].
- Los Angeles Times: Evolution stands up to bullies
- Health Magazine: Fight the power: Standing up to bullies benefits us all
- Examiner: Bullying intervention is genetically evolutionary 'right thing to do' (Video)
- Decoded Science: Egalitarian drives as a response to bullying
- Knoxville News-Sentinel: Science and bullying: Why we are programmed to help others
- Daily Herald: Rooting for underdog is in our DNA, study says
- Science Illustrated: Are we hardwired to cooperate or bully?
- Spiegel: Fairness kennt nur der Mensch
- РИА Новости (Russia): Математик открыл эволюционные корни чувства справедливости человека
Press coverage of Gavrilets S. 2012. Human origins and the transition from promiscuity to pair-bonding. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 109:9923–9928. [Online].
- TIME Magazine: The ancient sexual revolution that may have spurred human monogamy
- Los Angeles Times: Study traces origins of monogamous coupling
- Daily Mail: Macho man? Women actually want a provider says study into what created the modern families
- Slate Magazine: Are humans monogamous or polygamous?
- Cosmos Magazine: Caring guys and choosy girls led to monogamy>
- Spiegel: Frühzeit-Frauen lösten sexuelle Revolution aus
- Corriere Della Sera (Italy): Donne fedeli: ecco il segreto dell'evoluzione
- Globe and Mail (Canada): Do 'beta males' win out over alphas?
- Smithsonian Magazine: How the Weak Inherited the Earth
- Science Illustrated (Australia): The origin of monogamy
- Аргументы.ру (Russia): Заботливые интеллигенты победили мачо в процессе эволюции