Dr. Soltis’ research interests in plant biology are diverse—they study plant evolution using modern DNA approaches including next generation sequencing methods and the use of “big data” sets that require challenging computational analyses; specific interests include plant phylogeny, genome doubling (polyploidy), floral evolution, angiosperm diversification, and phylogeography.
Scientists and students in the Soltis Lab are currently working with a variety of technologies to investigate mechanisms of speciation, evolutionary relationships and character evolution in flowering and land plants at all taxonomic levels. Dr. Soltis has mentored 2 University Scholars students as well as co-taught CURE classes for second semester freshmen in the University Research Scholars program.
A member of the National Academy of Sciences, Pam focuses on evolutionary patterns and processes that have generated the Tree of Life of plants. She is passionate about the importance of the Tree for human well-being and sharing the grandeur of the Tree with college students and the public. She is the founding director of the UF Biodiversity Institute and a member of the UF Genetics Institute.
Dr. Pam Soltis has published more than 400 peer-reviewed journal articles and oversees a diverse lab of more than a dozen graduate students and postdoctoral fellows and routinely trains at least five undergraduate students per semester.
In the past 10 years, she has mentored over 6 University Scholars, 2 Emerging Scholars, and co-taught multiple CURE classes to second semester freshmen in the University Research Scholars Program.