Ben Daniels graduated from Cal Poly State-San Luis Obispo with an M.S. in Biology/Biological Sciences and joined the Giovannoni Lab as a Ph.D. student in 2023. His research investigates the metabolism of marine bacteria and its role in the carbon cycle, with a focus on identifying effective methods for marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR). He aims to evaluate these methods' potential while assessing their physiological and ecological impacts on the microbial community to support sustainable carbon management strategies.

Courtney Clement graduated from the University of Vermont with a B.S. in Biological Science in 2022. Her research involves the investigation of carbon cycling using stable iso-tope tracking methods. These data can then be used to build a detailed conceptual model of carbon cycling in eelgrass beds, which will act as the basis for the development of engineering controls and management strategies that will aim to modify carbon sequestration processes in these systems.

Emilee Lance graduated with a B.S. in Nutrition Sciences at St. Catherine University in 2020 and joined the David/Sharpton/Mueller Labs in 2023 as a Ph.D. student. Her research explores the interaction between nutrition and human gut-microbiome community metabolism. Using multiple -omic approaches, including Proteomic Stable Isotope Probing, her work will support efforts to more deeply understand metabolic functionality of gut-microbiomes. Through Emilee’s research, she aims to contribute to advancing analytical techniques and deepen our understanding of the role that microbes play in human health.

Lynn Kaneko graduated University of Arizona with a B.S. and joined the Schuster Lab in 2023 as a Ph.D. student. Her research examines the evolution of bacterial cooperation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and investigates the molecular mechanisms involving how they communicate and regulate genes with quorum sensing circuitry (such as the LasR system). This research will contribute to ongoing clinically relevant research to reduce pathogenicity in highly antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Kevin Rice graduated with a B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2022 and joined the David Lab as a Ph.D. student in 2023. His research investigates the neurobiological mechanisms underlying gut-brain axis communication, focusing on enteroendocrine cells (EECs) and the vagal neurons they synapse with. Specifically, he is interested in utilizing patch-clamp electrophysiology to characterize which microbially derived gut compounds are influencing neuronal excitability and the mechanisms driving these interactions. His work ultimately aims to contribute to a better understanding of how disruptions in gut-brain signaling may influence neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). He is co-advised by Dr. Kenton Hokanson. Outside of the lab, Kevin is an avid distance runner and board gamer.