Rate My Professor Manfred Laubichler

Manfred Laubichler is President's Professor of Theoretical Biology and History of Biology at Arizona State University, where he also serves as Director of the School of Complex Adaptive Systems. His academic career at ASU began in 2001 as Assistant Professor in the School of Life Sciences and Centers for Biology and Society and Social Dynamics and Complexity, advancing to Full Professor in 2007 and President's Professor in 2012. Laubichler holds an M.Sc. in Zoology from the University of Vienna (1991), M.Phil. and Ph.D. in Biology from Yale University (1993 and 1997), and an M.A. in History from Princeton University (1998), with ABD status toward a Ph.D. in History. He maintains affiliations as External Faculty at the Santa Fe Institute since 2012, Adjunct Scientist at the Marine Biological Laboratory since 2009, and Scientific Member at the Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research since 2002.

Laubichler's research specializations encompass theoretical biology, evolutionary developmental biology, quantitative and population genetics, complexity theory, history of biology, cultural history of science, digital humanities, computational methods, and philosophy of biology. He has received notable awards including election as Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2009), Dean’s Distinguished Teaching Award from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (2006), Faculty Exemplar Award from the ASU President (2007), and Faculty Achievement Award for Young Investigator Research (2007). Laubichler serves as Founding Associate Editor of Biological Theory since 2004 and Associate Editor of Journal of Experimental Zoology Part B (Molecular and Developmental Evolution) since 2006. Key publications include edited books such as Form and Function in Developmental Evolution (Cambridge University Press, 2009, with Jane Maienschein), From Embryology to Evo-Devo: A History of Embryology in the 20th Century (MIT Press, 2007, with Jane Maienschein), and Modeling Biology (MIT Press, 2007, with Gerd B. Müller). Highly cited works feature The origin and evolution of cell types (Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology, 2016, 866 citations) and Developmental evolution as a mechanistic science (2000, 232 citations). His contributions have shaped evolutionary developmental biology and the integration of historical perspectives in theoretical biology. Laubichler has held leadership roles including Program Co-Chair for the International Society for the History, Philosophy, and Social Studies of Biology (2007-2009) and steering committees at ASU.