People

Collaborators and inspiration along the way...

Dr. Kirsten Küsel

Postdoctoral Supervisor at Friedrich Schiller University Jena

Associate Professor of Limnology in the Institute of Ecology at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany
Website: www.uni-jena.de/aglimnology

Her group is focused on aquatic geomicrobiology and studies in particular: (i) the interaction of microorganisms with minerals in freshwater habitats, (ii) microbial and geochemical processes in lake sediments and peatlands, and (iii) stream microbial biofilms.

Dr. Joel E. Kostka

PhD supervisor at Florida State University

Professor of Biogeochemical Oceanography

Lab Website: www.joelkostka.net
Joel's research group studies the microbial ecology and biogeochemistry of a variety of ecosystems from the coastal ocean to the terrestrial subsurface. A combination of molecular and cultivation-based techniques are used to determine the structure/function relationships of microbial communities which catalyze carbon and nutrient cycles. Ongoing projects address (1) nutrient cycling in the shallow continental shelf, saltmarshes, seagrass beds, and mangroves, and (2) the bioremediation of radioactive contaminants in subsurface sediments.

Dr. Stefan J. Green

Friend, collaborator, and DGGE guru

Post-doctoral researcher in the Kostka Lab

Website: http://www.stefangreen.com/
Currently collaborating to develop high-throughput methods of TRFLP screening of microbial communities in uranium contaminated subsurface sediments from DOE ERSP sites.

Mike Humphrys

Friend, collaborator, and master of all things molecular biology

Currently working at the CDC in Atlanta, GA USA

Currently collaborating on a project focused on the metabolically active microbial communities during bioremediation of uranium contaminated subsurface sediments at the DOE's ORFRC site. We are currently combining stable isotope probing (SIP) techniques, TRFLP fingerprinting, and quantitative PCR to investigate this system. In addition we are working with Sarah Gray to assess the microbial community composition and diversity in the aquatic environment within leaves of the pitcher plant, Sarracenia purpurea.

Dr. Peter E. Bouwma

Husband, behavioral ecologist, and website designer.

Pete was a post-doc in for Michael Childress at Clemson University in South Carolina from 2006-2008. The Childress Lab Blog: http://childresslab.blogspot.com/ ...contains lots of interesting stories, pictures, & information about his and the lab's research on the Florida spiny lobster and octopus behavior in the Florida Keys.

Pete is currently designing websites, logos, and graphics for scientists, so if you are interested please take a look at his website: http://bouwmadesign.com/

Also see Pete's Zazzle Store (http://www.zazzle.com/pbouwma) for his science inspired T-shirt designs.

Sarah M. Gray

Friend and community ecology guru

PhD candidate in the Department of Ecology and Evolution at Stony Brook University.

Web page: http://life.bio.sunysb.edu/~sgray/

We are currently working together with Mike Humphrys to assess the microbial community composition and diversity in the aquatic environment within leaves of the pitcher plant, Sarracenia purpurea.