Nancy Holcroft Benson

Nancy, a 1998-2002 Self Fellow, received her Ph.D. in ecology and evolutionary biology in 2003. A member of Phi Beta Kappa, she graduated with distinction and in the honors program from Iowa State University, where she earned a B.S. in biology and a minor in mathematics (1998).

Her dissertation research focused on using molecular methods to examine the evolutionary relationships of fishes in the order Tetraodontiformes. These fishes, which include puffers, porcupinefishes, triggerfishes, boxfishes, and ocean sunfishes, are economically and culturally important worldwide. Nancy presented part of her dissertation research at the 6th Indo Pacific Fish Conference in Durban, South Africa, in May 2001. In January and February 2002, she participated in a field expedition to Fiji to conduct a survey of that nation's marine fishes.

Mentor: E.O. Wiley, Professor, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology