Earth's biosphere and climate are regulated by biogeochemical exchanges between the land, oceans, and atmosphere that are chiefly driven by microorganisms. Environmental change has the potential to impact these critical microbial processes and disrupt the fine balance of Earth's connected ecosystems. Research on the role that microbes play in maintaining ecosystem health and in mitigating impacts of environmental change is essential for supporting a productive planet. Our research focuses on three primary areas:
Microbial Nitrogen Cycling
Nitrogen cycling microbes play critical roles in maintaining ecosystem health by transforming nitrogen into usable forms for plants and animals and by minimizing nitrogen toxicity and pollution (e.g., wastewater and agricultural runoff). Our research aims to determine which organisms are responsible for nitrogen transformations in the environment, how they function (based on genomics and physiology experiments), and what controls their activity. We explore the connections between genes, organisms, communities, and the environment through the application of field and laboratory studies.
Microbial Responses to Environmental Change
Identifying and mitigating future threats to ecosystems requires forecasting where changes in microbial function are most likely (at local, regional, and global scales), which can only happen through controlled lab and field experiments. Our research is investigating changes in microbial community structure and function in response to specific areas of environmental change such as antibiotic pollution, fecal pollution, and forest fires. By improving our understanding of microbial communities under natural and stressed conditions, our research can improve predictive models and inform resource management strategies.
Microbiology Education Research
Our microbiology education research focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of different learning strategies with the ultimate goal of reaching all learners in my classroom. One of our research projects focuses on using drawings as a learning tool in microbiology education (Collaborators: Dr. Dina Newman and Dr. Leslie Kate Wright, Rochester Institute of Technology). We are demonstrating the functionality of drawing as an educational practice to develop and improve student understanding, skills for creation and interpretation of visual models, critical thinking, and problem solving. I am also developing and assessing a new course-based undergraduate research experience for a pedagogy curriculum publication.