Scott Vernon Edwards, PhD

Scott Vernon Edwards, PhD

By Professor Sterling Haynes

Meet an African American Harvard Professor who dedicated his research to the study of birds.

Edwards was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, on July 7, 1963, and raised in the Riverdale area of the Bronx in New York City. He started bird watching as a kid when a neighbor invited him. Fascinated by seeing a woodpecker in the back yard.

His first job was working for a public garden & cultural center called Wave Hill. Writing reports about past ornithologists in Riverdale. Further developing his interest with avians.

In 1981, Edwards attended Harvard University as an undergraduate Pre-Med Major. Planning to follow his father’s footsteps as a doctor. After an intense organic chemistry class, he took a break to get field experience and ponder his life choices. Traveling back to Hawaii to immerse himself in nature. As well as volunteering for the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. This opportunity was early exposure for museum research.

When he returned to Harvard, Edwards switched majors from Pre-Med to Biology. To study natural sciences. Completing his bachelor's degree in biology in 1986. Next, he earned his Ph.D. in zoology from University of California, Berkeley in 1992. Studying songbird DNA. Working as a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Florida to research molecular evolution in wild bird populations.

Eventually becoming a Harvard Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology. In addition, an Ornithology Museum curator of Comparative Zoology.

Ornithology is a branch of zoology dedicated to the study of birds. They typically work in academia, federal and state agencies, wildlife and conservation organizations. Studying birds in their natural habitats or laboratories. Ornithologist may also have administrative duties like writing research reports and proposals for grants, teach classes, and presenting research to the public.

Edward’s research focuses on avian phylogeography, molecular evolution of birds, disease ecology, population genetics and comparative genomics. Avian phylogeography is the study of the historical processes that may be responsible for the past to present geographic distributions of genealogical lineages.

Outside of research Edward hikes and enjoys cycling. Bringing along a pair of binoculars to spot rare birds in its natural habitat.

Cartoon Characters Mayor Maxwell and Samson are created by Sterling Haynes. To learn about my cartoon characters visit sterlinghaynes.com