Theodosius Dobzhansky, one of the most influential geneticists of his time, famously observed, “Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution.” In an era of rapid advances in molecular biology and computational science, his insight has never been more relevant.
Ecological and evolutionary thinking shapes every area of the life sciences—from stem cells and the adaptive immune system to interactions among organisms and the spread of cancer. It also helps us understand how adaptive traits emerge and how genetic variation arises and changes over time. The Center for Ecological and Evolutionary Dynamics (CEED) brings these fields together by focusing on the processes that connect them, rather than on any single study system.
USC is home to world-leading researchers in ecology and evolution. Although these researchers are distributed across sections, departments, schools, and campuses, this breadth is one of our greatest strengths. Free from traditional disciplinary boundaries, USC has a remarkable opportunity to unite people with diverse expertise, build on their individual strengths, and create collaborations whose impact is greater than the sum of their parts.
Above all, CEED is a community. It is open to everyone—faculty, postdoctoral scholars, graduate and undergraduate students, staff, technicians, and anyone else interested in ecological and evolutionary science.
For the past three years, CEED has hosted a seminar every two weeks, inviting primarily local scientists to share their research with our community. Each seminar is followed by a social hour that gives participants an opportunity to connect, exchange ideas, and develop new intellectual collaborations. In the 2024 and 2025 Academic years, CEED will also awarded seed grants to collaborating principal investigators, supporting innovative research directions made possible through engagement across disciplines.