I am broadly interested in how marine microbes like phytoplankton interact with their geochemical environment, where I use molecular level tools to study the intersection of microbial physiology and biogeochemistry.
Microbial oceanography group members are using a suite of genome-enabled approaches to examine the distribution and activities of marine phytoplankton, and how they influence cycling of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus. Our work often uses model cultures to understand and bound field observations made on research cruises that span the from polar to tropical systems. This research emphasis provides advanced training for undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral scholars and it is also used as a framework for the development and implementation of inquiry-based educational activities for children.