NEWS
NORMAN, OKLA. – Daniel Becker, an assistant professor of biology at the University of Oklahoma, has been named a 2025 Early Career Fellow of the Ecological Society of America for his research focusing on the spread of zoonotic pathogens. The fellowship recognizes outstanding contributions to ecology and a track record of emerging leadership, research excellence and broader impact.
Becker is a disease ecologist whose work focuses viruses, bacteria and protozoa carried by wild songbirds and bats. His interdisciplinary research spans wildlife ecology, virology and microbiology, and global change biology, often focusing on bats as hosts of emerging pathogens like coronaviruses. He’s currently monitoring viral infections in bat populations in Belize through a three-year grant from the National Institutes of Health.
“This honor is a reflection of the exciting infectious disease questions we’re tackling in our lab and the incredible students and collaborators who help make that work possible,” said Becker. “I’m deeply grateful to OU and our broader research community for the support and opportunities that have allowed our research to thrive.”
In addition to this fellowship, Becker’s growing list of honors includes:
Becker is a member of the Verena Institute and serves on The Lancet-PPATS Commission on Prevention of Viral Spillover. He has published articles in high-impact journals such as Nature, Ecology Letters, and Proceedings of the Royal Society B, and he regularly collaborates with researchers around the globe. He also serves as a faculty affiliate of the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology graduate program, the Data Institute for Societal Challenges and the Institute for Resilient Environmental and Energy Systems at OU.
“It’s an honor to recognize this year’s Fellows and Early Career Fellows of ESA,” said ESA President Stephanie Hampton. “These individuals exemplify excellence in ecological science through their research, mentorship and service. Their leadership in advancing both knowledge and application of ecology strengthens our field and supports communities and ecosystems around the world. We applaud this cohort’s accomplishments and look forward to the continued impact of their work.”
ESA will formally acknowledge and celebrate its new Fellows for their exceptional achievements during a ceremony at ESA’s 2025 Annual Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland.
About the University of Oklahoma
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. For more information about the university, visit www.ou.edu.
Three University of Oklahoma graduate students have been named winners of the 2025 Three Minute Thesis competition, which challenges participants to explain their research in three minutes to a non-specialist audience.
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A team from OU and WVU recently earned a five-year, $3.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study how concept cigarillos influence the potential for addiction. The results will be used to inform the FDA’s impending flavor ban on cigar products and could have wider-reaching implications for other tobacco products that come in flavors, such as e-cigarettes and tobacco-free nicotine pouches.
