Dr. Herrera joined the SKC Life Sciences Department faculty in 2025. He received his B.S. (2009) and M.S. (2013) of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Florida State University.  He subsequently earned a PhD (2022) in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and a subsequent postdoctoral fellowship at University of Montana.

Nat's research is rooted in a deep fascination with the diversity of life and the evolutionary and ecological processes that generate and sustain it. I am especially drawn to how new species arise, how hybridization shapes genetic diversity, and how organisms adapt to the environments they live in. To get at these questions, I combine genome and transcriptome sequencing with computational analysis, connecting genetic variation and gene expression to the physiological traits that let organisms persist under extreme conditions. This work has taken me from uncovering hidden diversity in western chipmunks to studying how small rodents survive the cold and low oxygen of high elevations. These include North American deer mice and South American leaf-eared mice, a group that contains the highest-dwelling mammal known. I have also applied genomics to public health. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I helped sequence SARS-CoV-2 genomes and track the variants circulating in Montana as part of the state’s public health response.

At SKC, I teach genomics, bioinformatics, and epidemiology, among other subjects, and I bring my laboratory and computational research into the classroom. I enjoy helping students turn their curiosity into research questions, then guiding them through lab work, data analysis, and sharing what they find. Through curriculum development and workshops for tribal colleges across Montana, I work to expand access to genomic and computational tools. My goal is for students to build research skills they can apply to their own scientific interests and communities. Students interested in genomics or computational research are welcome to contact me.