Welcome to Fierce Roller, a blog about evolution, major transitions (especially from unicellular to multicellular life), Volvox and other volvocine algae, and other stuff.

Volvox globator, the original fierce roller. From van Leeuwenhoek, A. (1700). Part of a Letter from Mr Antony van Leeuwenhoek, concerning the Worms in Sheeps Livers, Gnats, and Animalcula in the Excrements of Frogs. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, 22: 509–518.

I am a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Montana, and my lab group studies the evolution of multicellularity using comparative, theoretical, and experimental approaches. My academic website is here (it’s out of date; I’m working on it), and you can also find me on Google Scholar and ResearchGate.