Our research program is highly integrative and aims to characterize guiding principles of the evolution of life. Much is left to know about the relative weights of different evolutionary forces in the generation of biodiversity/and our coordinated research strategy seeks to quantify these weights through (1) focused/integrative study of the evolutionary patterns of birdsong/a complex behavioral trait/and (2) by comparison with viral evolutionary dynamics during large outbreaks. Rich data sources from detailed field observations/laboratory experimentation/open-access databases/and public health surveillance provide material to employ computational methods including mechanistic modeling with parameter estimation and evolutionary simulation/acoustic analysis/and novel phylogenetic tools. While students will primarily work on a project that matches their interests/the two research lines will be integrated/and researchers will work and learn together regardless of whether they are focused on viruses or our feathered friends! Participants in this research stream will develop skills in study design/data collection and analysis/phylogenetics/and computer simulation. We welcome those with unquenchable curiosity!