Ed Theriot
Papers
1
Total Citations
10
H-Index
1
About
Ed Theriot is a leading figure in evolutionary biology and phylogenetics, whose work bridges the gap between traditional taxonomy and modern computational methods. His research centers on the systematics of diatoms, the theory and practice of phylogenetic inference, and the development of innovative approaches to biodiversity science. Theriot is perhaps best known for pioneering the use of crowdsourcing to tackle one of biology’s grand challenges: the massive task of scoring phenotypic data (such as anatomy and physiology) for the Tree of Life. His landmark 2017 study demonstrated that non-expert crowds can replicate the performance of trained scientific experts in constructing phylogenetic matrices, a finding that has reshaped how researchers approach large-scale biodiversity analysis. With over 10 citations on this influential paper alone, Theriot’s work has opened new avenues for accelerating species discovery and classification. His broader contributions include advancing our understanding of diatom evolution and championing open, collaborative science. For students and researchers, Theriot exemplifies how creative problem-solving can democratize scientific discovery and expand the frontiers of systematic biology.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1