OU Professor Named Ecology Society of America Early Career Fellow
by Josh DeLozier, University of Oklahoma
May 7, 2025
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.”
Keep reading: https://ou.edu/news/articles/2025/may/daniel-becker-named-esa-early-career-fellow
Read the ESA press release: https://esa.org/blog/2025/04/29/ecological-society-of-america-announces-2025-fellows/