Chrysalis Prize Winners
Dakota McCoy, Ph.D.
2026
Dr. McCoy is an assistant professor of Ecology and Evolution at the University of Chicago who incorporates thought and practice from evolutionary theory, physics, computational biology, and game theory to understand the evolutionary relationship and tradeoffs between cooperation and conflict. Her work explores the theoretical and practical sides of cooperation and conflict in widely divergent ecological contexts, from coral reefs and their algal partners to pregnant human mothers and their developing babies.
Natalie Mueller, Ph.D.
2026
Dr. Mueller is an assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology at Washington University in St. Louis. She integrates morphometric, molecular, ecological, and experimental data in order to understand the origins of agriculture in North America and eastern Africa. Dr. Mueller also explores the archaeological, technological, and ethical implications of recovering lost crops—those important, once-domesticated plants that no longer play a role in modern agriculture.
