Distinguished Professor Brandon S. Gaut joins the ESB AI Lab Board of Directors

ESB AI Lab is pleased to announce that Dr. Brandon S. Gaut, Distinguished Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Irvine, has graciously agreed to volunteer as one of our board members. Dr. Gaut joins the board as a Class II director and will also serve as chair of the Science Advisory Board.

Dr. Gaut studies the population genetics and evolution of plant genomes, including the domestication of maize and grapevine and the effect of epigenetics on genome evolution. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and his Ph.D. in Genetics from the University of California, Riverside. He joined UC Irvine in 1998 and has published more than 140 research articles.

At UC Irvine he has served as chair of the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Interim Dean of the School of Biological Sciences, and Associate Dean for Research and Innovation. He also served as president of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

Dr. Gaut is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a recipient of an Alfred P. Sloan Young Investigator award. He was named UC Irvine Professor of the Year in 2008, and in 2025 he received the inaugural Genetics Society of America Mentorship Award.

Beyond his research, Dr. Gaut has made tremendous contributions to the local community in Irvine. He has chaired UC MEXUS, now Alianza MX, and volunteered with campus organizations such as CAMP. Over the years he has mentored many students, including Dr. Solares, whom he has mentored for several years. His contributions to science and his excellent mentorship are well known to his peers and his mentees.