Matthew Pottinger, a senior majoring in Biology with specialization in Ecology and Evolution, in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, has been awarded the 2026 Ralph S. Quatrano Prize by the Department of Biology.
Established through a generous donation by Katherine Day Reinleitner, the Quatrano Prize is awarded to the thesis showing greatest evidence of creativity in design, research methodology or broader scientific implications. The award is given in honor of Ralph Quatrano, the Spencer T. Olin Professor Emeritus and former chair of biology.
Pottinger completed research in the Losos Lab, culminating in his thesis Phylogenetic tests of adaptive and nonadaptive hypotheses for same-sex sexual behavior in mammals. He was nominated by his Biology Independent Research mentor, Jonathan Losos, William H. Danforth Distinguished University Professor.
In his nomination letter, Losos said, “The project was his from beginning to end. He conceived the project and developed the idea. The data set he accumulated was enormous, compiling records for more than 30 morphological, life history, demographic, ecological and behavioral variables for nearly 400 species. I knew that analyzing these data in a phylogenetic framework would take complicated statistical analyses and that there was no one in the lab with expertise to tutor him. Not deterred, he went to the Landis Lab and was able to get the help he needed to analyze the data. Overall, the project was a great success. The methods are state-of-the art, and the results are interesting and eminently publishable.”
Pottinger says, “It is an immense honor to have been selected as this year's Quatrano Prize recipient. Dr. Quatrano's dedication to using science to make meaningful change in our world left an immeasurable impact on this department and the University at large, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to carry on the spirit of his work. Same-sex sexual behavior is a fascinating area of biology, and so much study remains to be done to understand how this unique system evolves and has become so prevalent across the tree of life. It has been the highlight of my time at WashU to form this research, none of which would have been possible without the insightful guidance of my mentors: Dr. Jonathan Losos, Dr. Elizabeth Carlen, Dr. Michael Landis, and (soon to be Dr.!) Sarah Swiston. They have all been integral to not just the completion of this work, but shaping the researcher, student, and person I am today."
He will receive the award and prize during a biology awards ceremony in May. Learn more about Pottinger's research project here.
