What is Microbial Modus?

Micro•bi•al \mī-‘krō-bē-әl\ adj.  1: of, involving, caused by, or regarding microorganisms;  2: by means of or in relation to microorganisms.

Mo•dus \’mō-dәs\ n.  1: method, procedure, or process for achieving an end; 2: orderly arrangement. Syn: mode, manner, way, fashion, system.

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In a nutshell, what I really hope to be able to do by way of this blog is to share my appreciation for the infinite complexity of the microbial world and the huge potential for addressing environmental problems with microbial resources – using microbial methods.

But who am I?

I am a soil scientist trained and currently working in environmental microbiology, and quite recently a new mother. As I ease back into work from my maternity leave, in my spare time (ha!), I pursue science writing for my friends and family, and the other 3-ish people that have so kindly subscribed to my little blog here.

In case you might be wondering, my own research to date has focused on heavy metal biogeochemistry, understanding the role of microbial communities in nutrient cycling, and utilizing soil microorganisms in clean-up efforts (i.e. bioremediation).  But my interests and education are much further reaching, as are the topics I chose to cover here.

So sit back, enjoy some intellectual stimulation and the occasional nerdy, science-humor, make a comment or ask a question, and (here comes the cheese) explore this microbial world with me.