I am a biomathematician and hold the South African Research Chair (SARChI) in Mathematical and Theoretical Physical Biosciences (tier 1). Working at the interface of mathematics and biology, I develop models and theories to explain how biological complexity emerges from ecological and evolutionary interactions. My research focuses on biodiversity patterns, the dynamics of populations and communities across space and time, and open adaptive networks in which both the participants and their interactions can change.

I use mathematical language to identify underlying mechanisms and develop tractable explanations of complex, adaptive biological systems. My work draws on combinatorics, probability theory and stochastic processes, linear algebra and matrix theory, nonlinear dynamical systems, evolutionary game theory, and graph theory and network mathematics, supported by statistical inference and scientific computing.