Hopi Hoekstra takes office

Hopi Hoekstra, a pathbreaking scholar of the life sciences in the interdisciplinary field of evolutionary genetics, begins her tenure as Edgerley Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences today.

Hoekstra’s extensive teaching portfolio includes her role as course head and longtime instructor in “Life Sciences 1b,” one of Harvard College’s foundational science courses. She also has a strong record of mentoring undergraduates who conduct research in her laboratory, many of whom have contributed to scientific papers, and then pursued graduate or medical school, or other science careers. She is a devoted mentor to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows — through her lab and as co-chair of a monthly seminar series on evolutionary genomics, bringing together scholars from Harvard and neighboring institutions.

In leadership positions, Hoekstra has advocated for promoting women and improving equity and inclusion in the sciences. Her teaching has been honored with a Harvard College Professorship and the Fannie Cox Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching. This spring she was appointed the C.Y. Chan Professor of Arts and Sciences, recognizing her outstanding contributions to teaching and research in the FAS.