Matthew Sasaki

He/Him

I’m gay and I’m an evolutionary biologist. //

I grew up wanting to be a marine biologist, and am currently working on a PhD in oceanography at the University of Connecticut (after finishing my B.S. and master’s at UC San Diego and Scripps Institution of Oceanography). My research has focused on understanding how natural selection and gene flow shape intra-specific patterns of thermal adaptation in the plankton, and has taken me from near the Arctic to the Antarctic (and several places in between). During my time in academia, I’ve been lucky to have worked in labs that created an environment where I felt comfortable being myself. The longer I work in STEM, the more I appreciate how valuable this has been, and the more determined I am to return the favor. I look forward to encouraging LGBTQAI+ participation in STEM as a faculty member and PI of my own lab in the future!