Daniel Smith

Tropical forests are messy and overwhelming, but seeds are relatively simple.

Researchers, including Daniel, have spent years attempting to understand tropical forests. To understand how they function, it turns out we really need to understand seeds – how the environment affects seeds, which species eat seeds, and how trees try to avoid having their seeds eaten. The goal is to reduce the enormous complexity of tropical forests into simple things that we can wrap our heads around.

Daniel approaches teaching the same way – simplifying what seems overwhelming into what can be easily understood. Applying this philosophy, Daniel has mentored students ranging from 4^th graders to graduate students.

Daniel did his undergraduate degree at UCLA and his graduate studies at the University of Chicago, studying mathematics, ecology, and evolutionary biology. He has published his research in several academic journals, often using mathematical models to describe the populations of insects, mammals, and trees that tell stories about nature.

Outside of academics, Daniel is an avid runner, weightlifter, and musician (he plays the piano and lute). He also runs a small science education YouTube channel (which he describes as “pre-successful”).

Daniel believes proper mentoring that is tailored to the student can allow anyone to achieve their goals.