SUNY College of Environmental Science and ForestryUnited States
Jun Hyung Lee is a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Biology at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF). His research focuses on advancing forest tree improvement and conservation through molecular and synthetic biology approaches, with a particular emphasis on enhancing plant resilience to environmental stresses via beneficial microbial interactions. He teaches courses in plant biotechnology and tissue culture methods. Education includes a Ph.D. in Forest Genetics from Purdue University (USA), and M.S. and B.S. degrees in Plant Science from Seoul National University (South Korea). His work integrates cutting-edge genetic engineering techniques with ecological studies to address challenges in plant stress tolerance, symbiosis, and epigenetic regulation. Recent projects include identifying novel symbiosis pathways for thermotolerance and analyzing flooding tolerance in hybrid poplars. Publications highlight contributions to plant-microbe interaction research, synthetic biology applications, and genome editing epigenetic impacts. Collaborations span institutions like Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Georgia, reflecting his transdisciplinary approach to plant science. Lee’s teaching emphasizes practical skills in biotechnology, bridging laboratory innovation with field applications.
Peter A. Raymond is the Oastler Professor of Biogeochemistry at Yale University's School of the Environment and Department of Geology and Geophysics. He serves as Senior Associate Dean of Research & Director of Doctoral Studies and is Co-Director of the Yale Center for Natural Carbon Capture. Raymond leads the Raymond Biogeochemistry Lab, which investigates the biogeochemistry of inland waters, enhanced weathering, methane cycling, and blue carbon systems through cutting-edge field, laboratory, and modeling approaches. Education B.S., Marist College Ph.D., College of William and Mary/Virginia Institute of Marine Science Research Focus Raymond's research fundamentally reshapes our understanding of carbon cycling in aquatic systems, demonstrating that rivers serve as dynamic conduits rather than passive pipes in the global carbon cycle. His work examines how biology and watershed variables alter carbon chemistry in streams, rivers, and estuaries, with particular emphasis on understanding global carbon cycles in relation to climate change. Raymond employs radiocarbon measurements to explore the age and turnover of carbon in aquatic ecosystems, revealing that rivers are variable sources of both old and young terrestrial dissolved organic carbon to oceans. The Raymond Lab is particularly known for developing the Pulse-Shunt Concept, which challenges traditional views of riverine biogeochemistry by emphasizing the episodic and dynamic nature of elemental fluxes. Current research directions include enhanced weathering and alkalinity studies for carbon removal, global greenhouse gas budgets through projects like RECCAP 2, natural methane cycling in aquatic systems, and blue carbon ecosystems such as mangroves and salt marshes. Publication Trends Raymond's recent publications (2023-2025) demonstrate a strong focus on global carbon and methane cycling, with particular attention to inland water systems' role in the Earth's climate system. His work increasingly integrates large-scale datasets with field measurements to understand how climate change and human activities affect greenhouse gas emissions from rivers and streams. A significant portion of his recent work contributes to international efforts like the Global Carbon Project, aiming to refine estimates of global carbon and methane fluxes. His research also shows growing emphasis on carbon removal strategies, particularly enhanced rock weathering through the Earthshot-funded GOAL-A project, and their potential for climate mitigation. Scientific Recognition Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science Member of the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering Coastal and Estuarine Research Federations Cronin Award for Young Scientists ISI highly cited author Past Editor and Chief of the American Geophysical Union's journal Global Biogeochemical Cycles Mentorship and Funding Professor Raymond currently mentors four doctoral students (Jon Gewirtzman, Shou-En "Samuel" Tsao, Benjamin Saalidong, and Mingyu Zhang) and masters student Bella Garrioch. His research is supported by multiple grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF), including CAREER awards, and participation in the Earthshot-funded GOAL-A (Global Ocean And Land Alkalinization) project. Raymond has also been involved in significant collaborative projects with USGS data to research how climate and land use change alter carbon export from US watersheds, and with Lamont Doherty to develop methods for measuring air-sea gas exchange of CO2 in rivers and estuaries. Research Infrastructure The Raymond Biogeochemistry Lab at Yale is a dynamic research group comprising research scientists, postdocs, doctoral and masters students, and postgraduate researchers. The lab recently acquired a Mini Carbon Dating System (MICADAS) at Yale, significantly expanding their research capabilities in ecosystem carbon turnover and verification of natural climate solutions. The lab collaborates globally on projects in the Arctic, Hudson River, and middle Atlantic Bight, and is actively involved in the NASA Carbon Monitoring System BlueFlux field campaign to assess carbon exchange in coastal wetlands.
Ning Zhang is an Assistant Professor in the Biology Department at James Madison University (JMU), joining in 2024. Her research focuses on enhancing crop resilience through molecular and biochemical studies of plant defense mechanisms against bacterial pathogens, alongside developing genome editing technologies for trait improvement. She holds a PhD in Horticulture and Crop Science from The Ohio State University (2016), an MS in Silviculture from Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University (2011), and a BS in Landscape Architecture from Shandong Agricultural University (2008). Research Interests: Dr. Zhang's lab investigates plant immunity pathways, CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing applications, and engineering crops for disease resistance. Her work integrates molecular biology, genetics, and biochemistry to tackle challenges posed by climate change and biotic/abiotic stresses. Recent Trends in Publications: Her articles concentrate on MAPK signaling pathways, NLR protein interactions, PP2C phosphatase regulation, and bacterial effector mechanisms in tomato and other crops. Key themes include immune system activation, pathogen recognition diversity, and transgenic plant development. Lab Information: The Zhang Lab at JMU is part of the Department of Biology, focusing on plant biotechnology solutions for agricultural sustainability. They collaborate on projects involving CRISPR-based gene editing and stress tolerance research.
University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignUnited States
Angela D. Kent is a Professor in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she also serves as Director of the Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology within the School of Integrative Biology. She is affiliated with the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology. Her research focuses on microbial communities in agroecosystems and natural environments, particularly their roles in nitrogen cycling, soil health, and sustainable bioenergy production. Key research interests include microbial interactions in plant-microbe systems, the impact of genetic variation in crops on microbial processes, and the ecological and biogeochemical implications of soil microbiomes. She has authored over 99 publications and supervised datasets on topics such as denitrification dynamics, rhizosphere microbiome assembly, and microbial contributions to nitrogen retention. Dr. Kent has received the NACTA Educator Award (2012) and has contributed to high-impact studies on topics like microbial community responses to environmental stressors and the application of stable isotopes in bioenergy research. Her work bridges microbial ecology, agronomy, and environmental science, emphasizing practical solutions for sustainable agriculture and ecosystem management.
Corrie Moreau is the Martha N. & John C. Moser Professor of Arthropod Biosystematics and Biodiversity at Cornell University, serving as Director & Curator of the Cornell University Insect Collection. She holds affiliations with the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and the College of Arts and Sciences. Her research focuses on symbiotic factors driving speciation, adaptation, and diversification in insects, particularly ants. Moreau’s work integrates molecular methods, next-generation sequencing, and field-based research to study biodiversity across scales. Education: Ph.D. in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology from Harvard University (2007), M.Sc. in Biology from San Francisco State University/California Academy of Sciences (2003), B.S. in Biology from San Francisco State University (2000). Research Interests: Evolutionary patterns/processes, organismal biology, plant-animal interactions, chemical ecology, sustainability, and microbiome dynamics. Her lab (Moreau Lab) investigates ant-microbe symbioses, host-microbe interactions, and the role of symbioses in macroevolutionary processes. Recent work includes studies on ant phylogenetics, gut microbiome evolution, and the impact of invasive species on native ecosystems. Publications highlight her contributions to understanding ant evolution, microbial symbiosis, and biogeography. Grants include NSF-funded projects on ant genomics and symbiosis. She advocates for natural history collections and their role in biodiversity research and education.
Sushmita Roy is a Professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, affiliated with the Department of Computer Sciences and the College of Letters and Science. Her research focuses on developing computational methods in statistical machine learning to understand gene regulatory networks in living cells, particularly under environmental, developmental, disease, and evolutionary contexts. She explores bulk and single-cell genomic data integration to study processes like cell fate specification, host-microbe interactions, and diseases such as cancer and neurodevelopmental disorders. Her work emphasizes three key areas: inference of genome-scale transcriptional networks, evolutionary analysis of regulatory networks, and 3D genome organization dynamics. Roy’s lab collaborates across disciplines, leveraging genomic data from plant and mammalian systems. She has contributed to methodologies for analyzing chromatin accessibility, single-cell profiling, and network-based models of pathogen systems. Her affiliations include Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery, and she is a leader in computational biology and systems genomics research.
Mary K. Firestone is Professor of the Graduate School in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management at UC Berkeley. Her research revolutionized understanding of soil microbial processes, particularly oak regeneration techniques and microbial mediation of carbon/nitrogen cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. Firestone's work examines microbial responses to environmental change, including drought, rewetting, and warming scenarios. Her lab develops innovative methods like quantitative stable isotope probing (qSIP) to trace microbial activity in complex soil environments. Research spans grassland, rangeland, and agricultural ecosystems. Honors include election to the National Academy of Sciences (2017), Soil Ecology Society Career Achievement Award (2017), and American Geophysical Union Fellowship (2016). She holds the Betty and Isaac Barshad Chair in Soil Sciences. Current PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers in the Firestone Lab investigate viral-bacterial interactions in soil, mycorrhizal carbon transfer, and drought impacts on soil carbon persistence. Field studies at California's Hopland Research Center examine grassland responses to climate variability.
Jennifer L. Clarke is a Professor in the Department of Statistics at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and Director of the Quantitative Life Science Initiative. She holds leadership roles in enabling big data integration across the University of Nebraska system through collaborative research programs. Her affiliations include the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR) and the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Dr. Clarke's research focuses on statistical methodology for high-dimensional data, computational biology, bioinformatics, and bacterial genomics. Her work bridges statistical innovation with applications in oncology, microbiome analysis, and agricultural phenomics. Key areas include predictive modeling, machine learning, and genomic/metagenomic data integration. Her recent publications span cancer biomarker discovery, plant phenotyping methodologies, and microbial community analysis, reflecting her interdisciplinary approach. Articles emphasize translational applications like therapeutic target identification and precision agriculture. Dr. Clarke leads initiatives fostering collaboration between statisticians and domain scientists, including the Quantitative Life Science Initiative and contributions to the Agricultural Genome-to-Phenome Initiative (AG2PI). Her work advances data-driven solutions for healthcare and food security challenges. Notable projects include developing statistical tools for microbiome studies, analyzing root architecture via 3D imaging, and investigating cranberry-derived compounds' cancer-inhibitory mechanisms. Her methodological contributions include hybrid clustering techniques and predictive model validation frameworks.
University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignUnited States
Katy D. Heath is a Professor of Plant Biology and Affiliate Professor in Microbiology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). She leads the Plant Biology department and is affiliated with the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology. Her research focuses on the evolution of mutualisms, particularly plant-microbe interactions such as legume-rhizobium symbiosis, emphasizing genetic and ecological factors influencing symbiotic stability and adaptation. She investigates how environmental pressures (e.g., global change) shape mutualistic relationships and microbial community dynamics. Education: B.S. (2000) and Ph.D. (2007) from the University of Illinois and University of Minnesota, respectively, followed by postdoctoral work at the University of Toronto (2007–2009). Research Interests: Symbiosis evolution, microbial genetics, plasmid transmission dynamics, and the impacts of agricultural practices on rhizobia populations. She studies diverse systems, including Medicago-Sinorhizobium, soybean-Bradyrhizobium, and invasive legume-rhizobium interactions. Recent publications (2020–2025) highlight studies on endophyte impacts on soybean yield, rhizobia diversity under conventional farming, and genomic analyses of symbiotic coevolution. Her work integrates molecular biology, quantitative genetics, and ecology. Grants & Collaborations: Lead PI on a $12.5M NSF Biology Integration Institute (Genomics and Eco-evolution of Multi-scale Symbiosis). Her team includes collaborations with institutions like Indiana University and the University of Chicago. Labs & Teams: Heath Lab focuses on symbiosis research, with active projects on microbiome dynamics, plasmid-host coevolution, and community outreach (e.g., Boys and Girls Club collaborations). Recent lab highlights include student graduations (e.g., Ivan Sosa Marquez, Chase) and awards like the John R. Laughnan Award in Plant Biology.
Jonathan Conway is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Princeton University and an associated faculty member of the High Meadows Environmental Institute (HMEI). He leads the Conway Lab, which focuses on engineering plant-microbe interactions for applications in bioagriculture, bioenergy, and biochemical industries. Education: B.S. Chemical Engineering, University of Notre Dame (2011) M.S. Chemical Engineering, North Carolina State University (2013) Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, North Carolina State University (2017) Postdoctoral Fellow, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill & Howard Hughes Medical Institute (2017-2021) Research Interests: The Conway Lab develops genetic engineering approaches for non-model bacteria at plant-microbe interfaces. Key research areas include: chemical signaling between plants and microbes, microbiome impacts on plant immunity, environmental stress responses in agricultural systems, and enzymatic degradation of lignocellulosic biomass using thermophilic bacteria. The lab employs bacterial genetics, systems biology, and biomolecular engineering to create technologies for sustainable bioindustries. Publication Trends: Recent work demonstrates strong emphasis on molecular mechanisms of plant-microbe communication (2020-2024), enzyme characterization in biomass degradation (2024-2025), and development of synthetic microbial communities for climate resilience (2024). Earlier research focused on extremophile enzymology and metabolic engineering (2012-2019). Student Advising: Currently mentors 4 graduate students and 8 undergraduates. Alumni include 9 former advisees who graduated between 2022-2024. The lab actively recruits students through Princeton's Chemical Engineering graduate program and undergraduate research initiatives. Laboratory: The Conway Lab develops microfluidic systems for root microbiome studies and genetic tools for engineering plant-associated bacteria. Current projects include designing thermophilic microbial consortia for consolidated bioprocessing and characterizing bacterial immune evasion strategies.
Nicholas Kortessis is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at Wake Forest University, within The Undergraduate College. His research lies at the intersection of ecology, evolution, and theoretical modeling, focusing on how environmental variability shapes biological diversity. Research Interests: His primary areas include statistical and theoretical ecology, adaptation in variable environments, population and community dynamics, and ecosystem modeling. He uses mathematical frameworks to simulate ecological processes across large spatial and temporal scales, bridging experimental data with predictive theory. Publication Trends: His recent work spans topics such as habitat fragmentation, disease in invasive species, character displacement, seed dormancy evolution, and pandemic transmission dynamics. These reflect a strong emphasis on theoretical and synthetic approaches to ecological problems, often involving collaboration across institutions. Scientific Awards: No awards are mentioned in the provided text. Advising and Grants: While no specific students or grants are listed, Dr. Kortessis leads an active research lab and collaborates widely, indicating ongoing mentorship and likely grant-supported research. His lab engages in theoretical and data-driven ecological studies, suggesting funding from agencies supporting environmental and theoretical biology. Labs and Teams: He runs the Kortessis Lab at Wake Forest University, which focuses on modeling ecological and evolutionary processes. The lab emphasizes mathematical and conceptual tools to explore biodiversity, coexistence, and ecosystem responses to environmental change.
Ping He is a Professor in the Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCDB) at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. His research focuses on plant immunity mechanisms, particularly using Arabidopsis as a model system to study pathogen defense activation, signaling pathways, and the interplay between immunity and environmental stress responses. He also leads the Molecular, Plant-Microbe Interaction Laboratory, applying interdisciplinary approaches (genetics, biochemistry, cellular biology) to enhance crop resilience through foundational plant science discoveries. His work bridges plant biology and computational biology, with recent contributions to AI-driven medical imaging applications such as bladder cancer treatment response assessment, lung cancer early detection, and breast tomosynthesis denoising. These efforts emphasize integrating machine learning into clinical workflows and establishing best practices for AI in healthcare. Research Highlights: Plant immunity signaling and environmental stress crosstalk Radiomics and deep learning for cancer diagnosis/prognosis AI model validation and multi-institutional clinical trials Medical imaging artifact correction (e.g., motion blur, noise) Publications emphasize AI applications in oncology imaging, radiologist decision support systems, and multimodal data fusion. He has contributed to AAPM task group guidelines for AI in computer-aided diagnosis and advocates for rigorous quality assurance frameworks in medical AI deployment.
Dr. Pamela D. Roberts is a Professor of Plant Pathology and State Extension Specialist for Vegetable Pathology at the University of Florida's Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC) in Immokalee, FL. She holds a B.Sc. in Horticultural Sciences from Kansas State University, an M.S. in Plant Pathology from the University of Hawaii, and a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from the University of Florida. Her research focuses on sustainable disease management in vegetables and specialty crops, emphasizing integrated management strategies for bacterial and fungal-like pathogens. She leads the Florida Extension Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at SWFREC, offering diagnostic services and disease management recommendations. Her extension programs include educational outreach on plant diseases and field demonstrations of integrated management techniques. Dr. Roberts has received prestigious awards such as the UF/IFAS Jim App Team Award and the Dallas Townsend Distinguished Extension Award. She serves as Editor-in-Chief of the American Phytopathological Society journal Plant Health Progress . Her work spans disease diagnosis, epidemiology, and pathogen evolution, with a strong emphasis on crops like tomato, pepper, and citrus. Her research publications address topics such as Xanthomonas pathogen diversity, remote sensing for disease detection, and sustainable agricultural practices. She collaborates on projects involving molecular diagnostics, pest management strategies, and crop resilience. Ongoing efforts include combating bacterial spot diseases, whitefly-transmitted viruses, and citrus black spot.
Eric Slessarev is an Assistant Professor at Yale University , affiliated with the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and the Yale Center for Natural Carbon Capture. His research focuses on soil biogeochemistry, particularly how soil properties influence carbon and nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems, with applications to climate change mitigation strategies like enhanced rock weathering and perennial grass cultivation. Teaches Ecology of Landforms and General Ecology Labs located at KGL 318 (research) and KGL 417 (office) His recent publications highlight interdisciplinary approaches to understanding mineral-organic matter interactions, microbial controls on carbon cycling, and policy implications for soil-based carbon removal strategies. Key methodologies include global data synthesis, isotope tracing, and experimental manipulation of soil-plant systems across depth profiles. Notably, his 2025 work demonstrates drought impacts on carbon persistence, microbial harnessing for CO2 removal, and economic modeling of reversible carbon storage. 2024 studies explore deep-rooted plant effects on carbon fractions, calcium's role in mollisol formation, and policy optimization for carbon sequestration.
Joseph Bailey is a Professor in the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. His research focuses on evolutionary ecology, particularly how species interactions link genes to ecosystems, natural selection in community contexts, and scaling genetic processes across geographic and molecular resolutions. He holds a Ph.D. from Northern Arizona University (2003). Education: 2003 – Ph.D., Northern Arizona University Research interests include plant-animal interactions, evolutionary ecology, and the genetic underpinnings of community dynamics. His work integrates molecular, ecological, and evolutionary approaches across diverse systems, including native and invasive species interactions. He has published extensively on topics such as genetic structure of foundation species, plant-microbe interactions, and herbivore-induced ecosystem changes. Lab and Affiliations: His research group operates out of the Joseph Bailey Lab ( http://joebaileylab.com/ ). Publications reflect a focus on community genetics, indirect ecological interactions, and the genetic basis of species interactions.
