Biography
Before coming to Rider University, I worked as a visiting assistant professor at The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, a lecturer at Rowan University and a postdoctoral researcher at Carnegie Institute. The project I worked on at Carnegie was creating a database that consisted of metagenomic information about the microbes inhabiting specific environments, and corresponding geochemical data in a diverse range of Earth systems. This was done to uncover patterns and relationships between the microbes and geochemical parameters, and then to use this information to make predictions about the conditions under which early microbes evolved. My Ph.D. is from the Royal Netherlands Institute of Sea Research and Utrecht University and my area of expertise is paleoclimate reconstructions. During my Ph.D. I used a wide range of analytical techniques including mass spectrometry and bulk isotope analysis and worked with several paleoclimate proxies based on marine fossilized sedimentary lipids that come from the membranes of microbes. This was done to examine past climates and environments in different regions, and to determine the strengths as well as limitations of these proxies in varying settings. My master’s degree is in Biology Education from Rutgers University and my undergraduate degree is in Marine Biology and also from Rutgers University. To see a list of my publications please visit: researchgate.net/