Dr. Tracy Heath
Embracing Diversity and Advancing Research: A Journey with Professor Dr. Tracy Heath
Dr. Tracy Heath, an associate professor at Iowa State University, specializing in Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology. Originally from the southwestern US, Dr. Heath’s academic journey began at Boston University, where she studied biology, focusing on evolutionary biology and vertebrate organisms. She later pursued computational methods and phylogenetic trees at the University of Texas under Dr. David Hillis.
With postdoctoral experience at the University of Kansas and UC Berkeley, Dr. Heath developed expertise in analyzing species-level biodiversity data. Her current research focuses on macroevolution and patterns of biodiversity, blending computation and biology.
Despite early challenges in her undergraduate years, Dr. Heath found her passion for evolutionary biology through research. She emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and progress in achieving success.
Dr. Heath’s research achievements include expanding models for understanding species diversification and contributing to groundbreaking projects, such as the discovery of the largest fossil penguin species.
In addition to her research, Dr. Heath reflects on her role as a woman of Filipino heritage in a field dominated by white men, highlighting the lack of representation and the challenges she has faced.
Dr. Tracy Heath’s passion, dedication, and commitment to diversity make her a role model in the scientific community, leaving a lasting impact in her field.
Professor Heath’s Profile
Meet Professor Dr. Tracy A Heath, a passionate researcher dedicated to unraveling the mysteries of biodiversity and evolution. Their expertise lies in developing and applying advanced computational methods, particularly in Bayesian inference, to explore evolutionary processes within a phylogenetic context. As a key developer of RevBayes, a powerful software for Bayesian inference, they pave the way for groundbreaking discoveries in the realm of evolutionary biology.
Education
- Ph.D. Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Texas at Austin, 2008
- B.A. Biology, Boston University, 2000
Publications
Justison, Solis-Lemus, Heath. 2023. SiPhyNetwork: An R package for simulating phylogenetic networks. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, in press. https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/2041-210X.14116
Ksepka, Field, Heath, Pett, Thomas, Giovanardi, Tennyson. 2023. Largest-known fossil penguin provides insight into the early evolution of sphenisciform body size and flipper anatomy. Journal of Paleontology, 97:434-453. [See feature in The New York Times: The Biggest Penguin That Ever Existed Was a ‘Monster Bird’] https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/08/science/giant-penguin-fossil.html
Satler, Herre, Heath, Machado, Gómez Zúñiga, Jandér, Eaton, Nason. 2023. Pollinator and host sharing lead to hybridization and introgression in Panamanian free-standing figs, but not in their pollinator wasps. Ecology & Evolution, 13:e9673. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ece3.9673
Dismukes, Braga, Hembry, Heath, Landis. 2022. Cophylogenetic methods to untangle the evolutionary history of ecological interactions. Annual Reviews in Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics, 53:275-298. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-102320-112823
Barido-Sottani, Żyła, Heath. 2022. Estimating the age of poorly dated fossil specimens and deposits using a total-evidence approach and the fossilized birth-death process. Systematic Biology, in press. https://doi.org/10.1093/sysbio/syac073
For futher research work, check out Professor Heath’s website: HeathLab @ ISU