Martin Stervander Awarded Marie Curie Fellowship
Dr. Martin Stervander has been awarded a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship by the European Union, recognizing him as one of Europe’s most promising researchers in evolutionary biology.
The Fellowship
The Marie Curie Actions are among Europe’s most competitive and prestigious awards, aimed at fostering excellence in research through mobility and training. Martin’s fellowship will support two years at the Natural History Museum London studying the genomics of syngnathid evolution, followed by a return year at the University of Oregon.
Research Plans
Martin’s project, “Evolutionary Innovations in Syngnathid Fishes,” will investigate: - The genomic basis of male pregnancy - Evolution of elaborate morphological structures - Comparative genomics across seahorses, pipefishes, and seadragons - Conservation genomics of threatened species
Building Bridges
This fellowship strengthens collaborations between our lab, the Natural History Museum London, and European research networks. Martin will bring cutting-edge genomic techniques developed in our lab to European collections, while learning new approaches in systematic biology.
“This fellowship recognizes Martin’s exceptional contributions to evolutionary genomics,” notes Bill Cresko. “His work bridges microevolutionary processes and macroevolutionary patterns in ways that advance the entire field.”
Seal of Excellence
In addition to the Marie Curie Fellowship, Martin received the “Seal of Excellence” from the European Commission, awarded to proposals scoring above 85% in the evaluation.
Congratulations Martin on this outstanding achievement!