Research Interests

I am an experimental geochemist and geomicrobiologist. The goal of my work is to understand the impact of microorganisms on the geochemical cycling of inorganic elements. My research involves employing microscopic, spectroscopic, and genetic techniques to investigate microbe-mineral interactions, biotransformation of contaminants, and anaerobic respiratory processes. I use experimental data to develop models that predict microbial behavior, including when microbes are active, what mechanisms are involved, and under what conditions the mechanisms function. The principal area of my current work is focused on elucidating the molecular pathways of microbial-catalyzed redox reactions of mercury (Hg) and metalloid elements (Se, Te, and As).