APECS Microbiology Discipline Coordinator

University of California - Riverside, USA

I am from China. I received Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology at Anhui University, China. My undergraduate thesis was titled “Using ITS (Intergenetic Spacer) region for fungi classification”. I came to the United States to pursue graduate studies in 2003 and began this by studying basic medical microbiology at the University of South Dakota. Although I enjoyed this work, I did not feel completely certain about this choice of study and transferred with great enthusiasm to work with Dr. Brian Lanoil on Antarctica Dry Valleys’ microbial diversity at the University of California, Riverside a year later. I have already performed field research in Antarctica twice, including most recent extended field season from February until April, 2008. These field experiences helped me tremendously to understand and appreciate polar ecosystem better and liberated me from laboratory-bench science to experience the white pristine environment. I will be completing my PhD dissertation research in summer 2009 and would like to continue with polar research.

My current research interests are characterizing microbial diversity, investigating microbial community functionality and exploring the role of the microbial community in the biogeochemical cycling in sediments of permanently ice-covered lakes of McMurdo dry valleys, Antarctica. I also have general interests toward interactions between microbial community and extreme environments in any type of system such as polar soil, subglacial lakes, glacial ice etc.  My disciplinary areas of involvement are microbial ecology, biogeochemistry and soil science. I would like to apply to serve as a discipline coordinator for subject area of life sciences.