Sean
Mullen
2002 - 2003
CEIRP Fellow
Research Interest:
Ecology
and evolutionary biology of butterflies
I
am a broadly trained biologist with interests in most aspects
of ecology and evolutionary biology. Currently, I am working
on the evolutionary genetics of the Limenitis arthemis
butterfly species complex. Two distinct forms of this butterfly
occur in North America and hybridize where their ranges overlap.
The Red-spotted Purple, which occurs in the southern U.S.,
is a well-known mimic of the chemically-defended Pipevine
Swallowtail, while the White Admiral, which occurs throughout
the northeastern U.S. and Canada, is a non-mimetic butterfly
with large, transverse white bands on each wing. My research
on this group includes extensive field sampling, rearing,
breeding, and molecular studies of patterns of genetic variation.
As
a CEIRP fellow, I am looking forward to helping teachers
and students find novel ways to integrate inquiry-based approaches
to learning with more traditional, state-mandated, educational
standards. Personal inquiry is the sine qua non of all learning
and my goal is to help students become more personally involved
in both the form and content of their education. I hope to
build active research partnerships with teachers and students
that meet the goals of the state's regents exams but in ways
that encourage students to seek connections between theory
and practice. Finally, while I am most comfortable within
the biological sciences, I am willing and eager to push my
own limits in other fields.
