Joseph A. Cook

Curator - Division of Mammals

Associate Curator - Division of Genomic Resources

Distinguished Professor of Biology

Joseph A. Cook

Cook Molecular Evolution and Ecology Lab

Ph.D. 1990 - Biology, University of New Mexico
Dissertation: Rapid chromosomal evolution and the systematics of the Bolivian tuco-tucos (Rodentia: Ctenomyidae).

M.S. 1982 - Biology, University of New Mexico
Thesis: The Mammals of the Animas Mountains, Hidalgo County, New Mexico

B.S. 1980 - Zoology, Western New Mexico University 

Research Interests

  • Biotic Conservation
  • Historical Biogeography
  • Molecular & Morphological Evolution
  • Zoonotic Pathogens
  • Systematics, Speciation, Natural History of Subterranean Mammals

Publications

view on Google Scholar

Professional Experience

2021 - present: Distinguished Professor of Biology

2018 - present: Regents Professor of Biology, University of New Mexico

2004 - present: Professor of Biology, University of New Mexico

2003 - present: Curator of Mammals, Museum of Southwestern Biology, University of New Mexico

2011 -  2017: Director, Museum of Southwestern Biology, University of New Mexico

2007 - 2017: Curator of Genomic Resources, Museum of Southwestern Biology, University of New Mexico

2016-2017:  President, Natural Science Collections Alliance

2010-2016:  Chair, Steering Committee, AIM-UP! Research Coordinating Network

2007-2017:  Board of Directors, American Society of Mammalogists

2015-present:  Chair, Steering Committee, ARCTOS on-line museum database

2009-2015:  Member, Steering Committee, ARCTOS on-line museum database

2008-present:  International Advisory Board, Revista Brasileira de Zoologia

2014-present:  Steering Committee, BCoN Biodiversity Collections Alliance

2013-2016:  Commission Member - IUCN SSC Small Mammal Specialist Group

2008-2013:  Convener and Lead, Genetic Resources, Arctic Biodiversity Assessment, Conservation of Arctic Fauna and Flora (CAFF)

2011-2014:  Steering Committee, VertNet

2011-2013:  Steering Committee, CollectionsWeb Research Coordinating Network

2007-2013:  Director, Undergraduate Opportunities for Minorities (NSF-URM)

2000 - 2003: Chair and Professor of Biology, Idaho State University

1999 - 2001: Associate Editor, Journal of Mammalogy

2000 - 2001: Professor of Biology, University of Alaska

1998 - 2000: Chief Curator, University of Alaska Museum

1995 - 2000:

  • Associate Professor of Biology, University of Alaska
  • Curator of Mammals and Alaska Frozen Tissue Collection, UA Museum
  • Faculty Affiliate, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Program
  • Research Associate, Institute of Arctic Biology

1993 - 2016:

  • World Conservation Union (IUCN), Member of the Species Survival Commission,
  • Alaska Representative, Rodent Specialist Group

1997: Faculty Affiliate, Universidad Gabriel Rene Moreno-Santa Cruz, Bolivia

1993 - 1995: Faculty Affiliate, Universidad de la Republica, Facultad de Ciencias, Montevideo, Uruguay

1993: J. William Fulbright Fellowship (Uruguay)

1990 - 1995: Assistant Professor of Biology and Curator of Mammals, University of Alaska

Awards/Fellowships/Honors:

University of Alaska Honors, Award for Excellence in Teaching, 1992
J. William Fulbright Fellow (Uruguay) 1993
Rotary International Professor, Univ. GR Moreno (Santa Cruz, Bolivia) 1997
Scientist in Residence, Sitka Sound Science Center (Alaska) 2013
Joseph Grinnell Award, American Society of Mammalogists 2016
Regents Professor, University of New Mexico 2018
William Fulbright Fellow (Ecuador) 2019

 Patronyms

            Oxymycterus josei  Hoffmann, Lessa & Smith, 2002
                   Jose’s hocicudo (long-nosed rat in Uruguay)
 
            Arostrilepis cooki Makarikov, Galbreath, & Hoberg, 2013
                   Cook’s hymenolepidid cestode (tapeworm of Myodes gapperi)
 
            Cookiella ondatrae Haukisalmi, Hardman, Hoberg, Henttonen, 2014
                  Cook’s anoplocephalid cestode (tapeworm of arvicoline rodents)

Grants and Funding

Various sources of support have kept our operation running (e.g. National Science Foundation, USDA Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, National Institutes of Health, Coastal Marine Institute, and Hayward Fund for Mammalogy).

Advising

Mentoring and Instruction

Formal Courses

University of New Mexico

  • Mammalogy - BIO 489 (8x)
  • Conservation Biology BIO 379 (3x)
  • Advanced Mammalogy - BIO 402/502 (3x)
  • Advanced Field Methods in Tropical Biology - BIO 402/502 (Panama)
  • Introduction to Tropical Biology - BIO 461 (Belize, Costa Rica (5x), Panama (2x)
  • Ecology and Evolution - BIO 203 (2x)
  • Basic Graduate Evolution - BIO 517 (2x)
  • Art and Natural History - BIO 402/502, Honors, Art (co-taught w/ Szu-Han Ho)
  • Lab Topics - BIO 402-502 1 hour seminar (16x)
  • UnO Seminar - BIO 402, 1 hour seminar (8x)
  • AIM-UP Seminars - BIO 402/502 (5x)

Idaho State University

  • Molecular Evolution - BIOS 499/599
  • Host Parasite Coevolution - BIOS 499/599 (with Walt Boeger)
  • Phylogeography and Coalescent Theory - BIOS 499/599 (with Enrique Lessa)
  • Advanced Topics in Genetics - BIOS 659

University of Alaska Fairbanks

  • Evolution - BIOL 308
  • Systematic and Comparative Biology - BIOL 615/497
  • Mammalogy - BIOL 425
  • Tropical Field Ecology - BIOL 678 (Paraguay)
  • Wildlife Field Trip - WLF 612 (with Dave Klein to Southeast Alaska)

Universidad de la Republica, Montevideo

  • Análisis Filogenético (1997) (with Enrique Lessa)

Universidad Gabriel Rene Moreno-Santa Cruz, Bolivia

  • Biología de la Conservación: La Perspectiva Genética y Evolutiva (1997)

Individual Studies & Discussion Courses

Biology and Wildlife Readings and Discussions

  • Readings in Evolution
  • Molecular Systematics
  • Rodent Biogeography
  • Biogeography Alaska Bats
  • Canid Phylogenies
  • Island Biology
  • Readings in Mammalogy
  • Analysis of Genetic Data (w/ Chris Conroy)
  • Population Genetics II (w/ Karen Stone)

Museum Studies

  • Phocid Curation - BIOL 697
  • Research Collection Management - BIOS 499

Field and Foreign Experience

Bolivia 1984 - 1988, 1990 - 1993, 1997
Ecuador 2016, 2019
Canada 2006, 2010 – 2014
Costa Rica 1989, 2010, 2012, 2013
Mexico 1980, 1976 – 1982
Mongolia 2010, 2011, 2015
Pacific Northwest of North America & Alaska 1980, 1983, 1990-2016, 2021
Panama 2005, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2019
Paraguay 1996
Russia 1991, 2004, 2006
Uruguay 1993, 1997, 2013
US Southwest 1976-1990, 2000-present