Ecology Faculty

We study how organisms interact with each other and their natural world, and how biological processes shape the functioning of the biosphere. Within OEB, we focus primarily on how ecosystems function and how ecological processes drive evolutionary change.

Colleen Cavanaugh

cavanaug@fas.harvard.edu

Sabbatical Academic Year 2025-2026

Edward C. Jeffrey Professor of Biology

Not Accepting Graduate Students for 2026-2027

Colleen Cavanauth with medium dark hair wearing glasses, a black top and grey jacket in front of grey background

Jeannine Cavender-Bares

jcavender@fas.harvard.edu

Climate Action Acceleration Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology

Director of the Harvard University Herbaria

Chair of the Harvard Forest Leadership Committee

Jeannine Cavender-Bares smiling, with long dark hair, standing in a field

Andrew Davies

andrew_davies@fas.harvard.edu

Associate Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology

Andrew Davies with short dark hair and blue button up shirt, in front of light grey background

Charles C. Davis

cdavis@oeb.harvard.edu

Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology

Curator of Vascular Plants in the Harvard University Herbaria

Charles Davis, with short brown hair wearing a suit outside in front of a tree

Brian D. Farrell

farrellb@oeb.harvard.edu

Sabbatical Academic Year 2025-2026

Monique and Philip Lehner Professor for the Study of Latin America

Professor of Biology

Curator of Entomology in the Museum of Comparative Zoology

Brian D. Farrell with grey beard and hair, wearing white short sleeve button down, with spike green leaves behind him

Peter R. Girguis

pgirguis@oeb.harvard.edu

Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology

Co-Director of the Harvard Microbial Sciences Initiative

Peter Girguis wearing blue blazer, white shirt and glasses, in front of leaf covered building

Noel Michele Holbrook

holbrook@oeb.harvard.edu

Sabbatical Academic Year 2025-2026

Charles Bullard Professor of Forestry

Faculty Fellow of the Arnold Arboretum

Affiliate of Environmental Science and Engineering

Professor Noel Michele Holbrook standing in a field wearing a purple top

Mandë Holford

mholford@fas.harvard.edu

Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology

Curator of Malacology in the Museum of Comparative Zoology

Mande Holford, smiling, with long dark hair and blue and white patterned tops, in front of dark background

Paul R. Moorcroft

paul_moorcroft@harvard.edu

Sabbatical Spring 2026

Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology

Affiliate of Environmental Science and Engineering

Paul Moorcroft smiling, with short hair, plaid button down, and glasses, in front of grey background

Benton Taylor

bentontaylor@fas.harvard.edu

John L. Loeb Associate Professor of the Natural Sciences

Faculty Fellow of the Arnold Arboretum

Benton Taylor with dark hair and a beard wearing a white shirt, in front of grey background