Stacey Peterson

Stacey Peterson is a Professor and Department Chair in Biological Sciences. She holds a PhD in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a BS in Biology from Pepperdine University. Her research focuses on antibiotic discovery from environmental sources, bacterial interactions, and the development of antimicrobial strategies, including collaboration with Dr. Sylvine Deprele on ozonated oils. She actively mentors students in antibiotic research through initiatives like the Tiny Earth network.

• Education: PhD (UCSB), BS (Pepperdine)

Her research interests span antibiotic resistance mechanisms, soil-derived antimicrobials, and bacterial communication dynamics. She emphasizes innovative teaching methods, as seen in her published pedagogical approaches using weekly themes and game-based learning in microbiology education. Key collaborations include multi-disciplinary work bridging microbiology and materials science.

Her students have presented at conferences such as ASM Microbe and SCCUR, showcasing findings from antibiotic producer characterization and bacterial competition studies.