Victoria Sork

Victoria Sork is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of California, Los Angeles. Her research focuses on the evolution of tree populations in relation to their local environment, examining gene flow, natural selection, and demographic history. She has developed a high-quality genome of valley oak (Quercus lobata) and established common gardens to study adaptive genetic variation. Her work integrates genetic patterns across scales, from DNA sequences to landscape-level processes, to address evolutionary ecology questions and inform conservation strategies. Research areas include conservation biology, ecology, evolutionary biology, plant biology, and tropical biology.

Victoria Sork is a Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UCLA, specializing in population genomics, epigenetics, and conservation genetics, with a focus on oaks. Her research explores genetic structure, gene flow, and adaptation in plant populations, particularly in response to climate change. She investigates pollen dispersal, landscape connectivity, and the ecological and evolutionary significance of mast seeding in oaks. Her work also examines epigenetic variation and its role in ecological adaptation. Sork's studies integrate genomic tools to understand local adaptation and population dynamics in tree species, contributing to conservation strategies for forest ecosystems.