​The evolution of different courtship behaviors has long been thought to play a role in the evolution of new species, but a major challenge has been identifying the exact genomic changes that alter behavior and contribute to reproductive isolation. The Drosophila athabasca species complex is an ideal system for investigating behavioral isolation since it is comprised of three semispecies that have recently evolved dramatic differences in male courtship song and female preference. Our research combines population genetics, genomics, high-throughput phenotyping, QTL mapping, and functional validation of candidate genes, to understand differences in male courtship behavior and song.  By combining these approaches our research aims at linking genomic variation to complex behavioral phenotypes that promote the evolution of new species.