Congratulations to ARCS Oregon Scholar Alum Katja Kasimatis, one of our two first scholars at UO and an ARCS star! Katja was a chapter scholar. On announcing the award to ARCS Oregon, Katja said “I wanted to share my joy and gratitude since ARCS was such a strong part of my graduate career.”
Katja worked in Dr. Patrick Phillips’ lab while a doctoral student, in the Institute of Ecology & Evolution (IE2) Department of Biology. Now provost and senior vice president at UO, Dr. Phillips commented on Katja and her prize, “I have always viewed Katja as a perfect ARCS scholar. Not only is she a top researcher and emerging leader in her field, as evidenced by being awarded the Dobzhansky Prize. She is also dedicated to making science as a field of endeavor more open and equitable, which she demonstrated again and again at the University of Oregon with her careful mentoring of undergraduates and her never-ending commitment to lift the level of intellectual discourse across our entire graduate program. She is a very special talent and we could not be more proud.”
Dr. Kasimatis is a Banting Postdoctoral Fellow in the Cutter and Rowe labs in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department at the University of Toronto. Her research focuses on the evolutionary consequences of sex-specific selection and sexual conflict, specifically the impact on genome evolution. She pursues this research using a wide variety of approaches including molecular genetics, proteomics, genomics, bioinformatics, experimental evolution, and theoretical population genetics. Her work expands our understanding of sexual conflict and furthered nematodes as a model system for reproductive dynamics. While pursuing her research, she works to foster a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community both within and beyond her department.
About the Theodosius Dobzhansky Prize
The Theodosius Dobzhansky Prize is awarded annually by the Society for the Study of Evolution to recognize the accomplishments and future promise of an outstanding young evolutionary biologist. The prize was established in memory of Professor Dobzhansky by his friends and colleagues, and reflects his lifelong commitment to fostering the research careers of young scientists. The Dobzhansky Prize is accompanied by a check for U.S. $5000, and is awarded at the annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Evolution.
