Research Interest: The adaptation of freshwater and marine cyanobacteria to stressful (or beneficial)environmental conditions. Questions of interest: (1) How does horizontal gene transfer, light intensity and nutrient availablity influence the evolution of microbial populations? (2)What can the genetics and phylogeny of cyanobacteria tell us about primitive cyaobacteria's contribution to introducing oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere? (3) In what way does cyanobacterial interaction with viruses and higher organisms benefit the population as a whole?
Career Goals: Involvement in microbial ecology teaching and research at academic institutions, which are also active in science education community outreach programs for people of color.
Fellowships and Awards
Fulbright Fellowship, University Student Category, Department of State and The American-German Fulbright Organization, September 2004 – December 2005. International post-graduate study/research scholarship in the Molecular Biology and Microbiology Department at Justus-Leibig Universität (Uni Giessen).
ASM Student Travel Grant, American Society for Microbiology, May 2003.
Second Place Winner, Graduate Division, Poster Session, Drexel University, April 2003.
RMS Technologies Scholarship, RMS Technologies, Inc., September 1995 – June 1999.
Society Membership
ASM member, American Society for Microbiology, June 2001 – present
Meetings
Invited Student Researcher, 55th Meeting of Nobel Laureates. Lindau, Germany. June 2005
Invited Participant, 2nd International Symposium on Proteolysis in Prokaryotes. Berlin, Germany. April 2005
Employment History
Teaching Assistant
June 2001 – June 2004
Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
Responsible for the preparation and instructional portion of Genetics and Microbiology laboratory courses. Duties included grading, examination proctoring and tutoring for over 40 students every academic semester.
Research Assistantship
September 2000 – May 2001
Initiative for Minority Student Development, Laboratory of Dr. D. Bartelt, Department of Biology, Saint John’s University, Queens, NY
Created gfp gene construct that allowed for detection of calcium transport in the mitochondria of Aspergillus nidulans. Research involved in evaluating calcium transport in A. nidulans during cold and salt stress.
Research Assistantship
January 2000 – September 2000
Initiative for Minority Student Development, Laboratory of Dr. I. Hirshfield, Department of Biology, Saint John’s University, Queens, NY
Performed random mutagenesis in Esherichia coli in order to create mutants with either reduced of increased tolerance to acid stress (pH 3.8) in nutrient-rich media. Research used to understand regulation of acid stress in E. coli.
Cooperative Education Intern
April 1998 – September 1998
Disposition and Metabolism Department, Zeneca Pharmaceutical
Wilmington, DE
Research focusing on the production of toxic nitric oxide (NO) by human and mouse liver cell by falvin-containing monooxgenase (FMO). Techniques used include enzyme assays, western blotting, high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Methods used to evaluate potential NO formation in liver cells by trial-phase company drugs.
Cooperative Education Intern
April 1997 – September 1997
Department of Biology, Community College of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA
Responsible for media for over six Biology courses. Additional classes included Biology tutoring and assistance in lecture preparation for faculty.
| 
