We work on four main projects that investigate the intersection of genomics, environment, and evolutionary theory, each described in detail below. First, we explore how successful reproduction requires a massive investment in sexual traits, which fundamentally shapes genomic evolution. This challenge is heightened during evolutionary transitions and functional shifts that alter the mode of reproduction and can spark dramatic trait innovation. In animal systems, the transition between internal and external fertilization significantly impacts sperm evolution through dilution effects; we hypothesize that flowering plants face similar pressures during transitions between insect and wind pollination. Because a vast portion of the plant genome is expressed in pollen, these shifts in sexual selection should leave profound morphological and genomic signatures. By using state-of-the-art genomic approaches and a broad comparative framework, this research seeks to decode the drivers of pollen evolution and unravel sexual selection mechanisms shared across kingdoms. Second, we investigate the evolution and loss of the distyly S-locus supergene. Supergenes are genomic regions where suppressed recombination preserves multiple loci as a single unit, and we are using the genus Linum to test hypotheses regarding the tempo and mode of supergene maintenance and breakdown. This project leverages a genomic framework comparing distylous and homostylous taxa to understand how these balanced polymorphisms are maintained or lost over time. Third, moving from fundamental theory to applied science, we focus on unlocking genetic variation for climate adaptation in crops. We utilize population genetic environmental association analyses to identify drought-tolerance loci in wild relatives of wheat and flax, providing validated markers to enhance food security and fiber production in an increasingly arid global climate. Finally, our fourth project uses geothermally heated soils in Iceland as a natural experiment to study adaptation in Arabidopsis lyrata. This unique setup allows us to isolate temperature as a variable and observe how plants respond genetically and phenotypically to long-term warming, providing a clearer picture of evolutionary responses to climate change without the confounding factors of latitude or altitude. Together, these four projects connect the microscopic world of supergenes and pollen to the macroscopic reality of global environmental shifts.