Contact Information:
Frank T. Burbrink, Ph.D.
Department of Herpetology
American Museum of Natural History
Central Park West at 79th Street
New York, NY 10024-5192
Tel: 212-769-5862.
https://sites.google.com/view/frank-burbrink-website/
Primary appointment:
Curator
Frank T. Burbrink, Ph.D.
Department of Herpetology
American Museum of Natural History
Central Park West at 79th Street
New York, NY 10024-5192
Chair of Vertebrate Zoology
American Museum of Natural History
Central Park West at 79th Street
New York, NY 10024-5192
Additional appointments:
Faculty
Richard Gilder Graduate School
American Museum of Natural History
Central Park West at 79th Street
New York, NY 10024-5192
Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology
Columbia University
10th Floor Schermerhorn Ext
1200 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10027
Ecology, Evolution, and Behavioral Biology
Biology Program
The Graduate Center
City University of New York
365 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10016 USA
Professor Permanante
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte
Centro de Biociências - DBEZ
Campus Universitário - Lagoa Nova
59078-900 - Natal, RN - Brasil
Education:
Postdoc - Biology. Louisiana State University (May 2000)—Advisor: David Pollock
Ph.D. - Zoology Louisiana State University (May 2000) —Advisor: Jim McGuire
MS - Biology University of Illinois (Champaign-Urbana; August 1995) —Advisor: Chris Phillips
BS - University of Illinois (Champaign-Urbana; May 1993)
Previous Appointments:
2010-2015: Chair of the Ecology, Evolutionary and Behavioral Doctoral Subprogram at the CUNY Graduate Center
2010-2015: Professor in the Biology Department, College of Staten Island/ City University of New York (CUNY)
2007-2009: Associate Professor in the Biology Department, College of Staten Island/ City University of New York (CUNY)
2002-2006: Assistant Professor in the Biology Department, College of Staten Island/ City University of New York (CUNY)
Research Interests:
1) Molecular systematics and statistical phylogenomics
2) Speciation and population genomics
4) Comparative evolutionary biology
5) Historical Ecology
6) Evolutionary history and ecology of reptiles and amphibians
Scholarly Statistics (Google Scholar 3 August 2026):
h-index: 58
i10-index: 116
Number Citations: 14,907
Current Doctoral Students in my lab
Yucheol Shin (RGGS). Genomic island biogeography and Korean snakes.
Daniela Garica. (RGGS). The origin of aquatic traits in snakes as explored using whole genomes.
Current MS students in my lab
Zelie Arner (Columbia University) --- Speciation in ratsnakes using whole genomes.
Kira Welsh (Columbia University) --- Whole genome phylogeography and hybrid zone evolution in milksnakes.
Graduated doctoral students:
Brianna Mims. (RGGS). Co-advised with Chris Raxworthy. The evolution of arboreality in Leptodeirini.
Dylan DeBaun. (RGGS). The Genomic Consequences of Hybridization in Madagascar Gemsnakes (Pseudoxyrhophiidae). Finished 2025 (Postdoc at Princeton University).
Leroy Nuñez. (RGGS). Evolution of the Diverse North American Gartersnakes, Watersnakes, and Allies (Natricidae: Thamnophiini). Finished 2024 (Postdoc at Stony Brook).
Arianna Kuhn (CUNY). Processes of biodiversity accumulation in Madagascar. Finished 2020 (curator at the Illinois Natural History Survey/University of Illinois).
Edward Myers. Snake Community Divergence at North American Biogeographic Barriers. Finished 2016. (CAS Postdoc).
Xin Chen. Adaptive radiation in ratsnakes. Finished 2014 (Postdoc at Dartmouth).
Sara Ruane (Ph.D. Student). Species tree relationships within milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulum). Finished 2012. Current assistant professor at Rutgers University - Newark .
Tim Guiher (Ph.D. Student). Comparative molecular phylogeography and demography within New World venomous snakes of the genus Agkistrodon. Finished 2011.
Alex Pyron (Ph.D. Student). Systematics and historical biogeography of lampropeltinine snakes. Finished 2010. Currently Assistant Professor at the George Washington University.
Frank Fontanella (Ph.D. Student). Phylogeography of the ringneck snake (Diadophis punctatus). Finished 2009. Lecturer East Kentucky University.
Co-Advised Brazilian doctoral students in my lab:
Marina Monjardim. Phylogeny of Leiosauridae. Federal University of Espírito Santo – UFES.
Diego Santana. Phylogeography of amphibians across the Brazilian Caatinga. Co-advised with Adrian Garda at UFRN, BR. Currently curator of Amphibians at the Field Museum.
Eliana Faira. Phylogeography of Cnemidophorus ocellifer. Co-advised with Gabriel Costa at UFRN, BR.
Vinícius São Pedro. Phylogeography of Dermatonotus muelleri . Co-advised with Adrian Garda at UFRN, BR.
Tais Costa. Processes of lizard community assemblage in the Caatinga of Brazil. Co-advised with Adrian Garda at UFRN, BR.
Former master's students in my lab:
Jamie Burgoon. 2012-2016. Speciation in Coluber constrictor at the Florida Peninsula and Continental US Connection.
Margaret Lazzeroni 2016-2017. (MS Student, Columbia, co-advised w/Nancy Simmons). Hibernation in bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) did not evolve through positive selection of leptin.