I am a PhD student fascinated by microbially mediated biogeochemical cycling in coastal ecosystems. In the Bowen Lab, I am interested in exploring how shifting hydrological and redox conditions may impact plant-microbe feedbacks in the face of climate change and sea level rise. I earned my B.S in Environmental Science with a minor in Chemistry at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania where I studied freshwater methane dynamics and the effects of iron on algal blooms.

I am broadly interested in the roles of microbe-host relationships in coastal ecosystems, especially the ways these interactions can affect biogeochemical cycling. I am also fascinated by ecological restoration and the ways that we, as people, interact with and shape the world around us. During my PhD, I hope to investigate the potential role of microbes in marsh restoration practices. I am co-advised with Dr. Randall Hughes. Prior to starting at Northeastern, I received a B.S. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Yale University and an M.S. in Arctic and Marine Ecology from the University of Tromsø. I have also worked in science communications and fisheries monitoring in Sitka, AK.

I am interested in microbial ecology and fungal-plant interactions within coastal ecosystems. As a PhD Student in the Bowen Lab, I'm interested in understanding plant-fungal interactions in salt marshes and how they impact carbon cycling and marsh function. My goals are to determine what roles fungi play in salt marshes using molecular and culture-based approaches. I am currently a Strategic Advancement of Rising Scholars (STARS) Fellow. I earned my B.S. in Biology and Environmental Science with a specialization in ecosystems from the University at Albany (SUNY). As a woman of color in STEM, I hope to further contribute to diversity and inclusivity efforts within STEM and make science more accessible to all through mentorship and outreach. You can learn more about me and my work on my website.

I am a PhD Candidate in the Bowen Lab, and my research spans both ecological and human dimensions. I am interested in how human impacts (i.e., nutrient loading) and climate change affects plant-microbe interactions in coastal ecosystems. My work uses 16S rRNA sequencing to determine potential changes in microbial pathways for carbon and nitrogen cycling. I am also interested in how people perceive human-nature relationships across the Eastern and Gulf US, as well as the social barriers behind coastal habitat restoration. I earned my B.S. in Environmental Science and Management with a minor in Soil Science from UC Davis. I also worked as a technician in the Agroecosystem Water Quality Lab (formerly at Iowa State) and a STEM Educator for the Liberty Science Center in New Jersey. As a queer person of color in STEM, I am passionate about outreach education and mentorship! 

I am a postdoctoral research associate in the Bowen Lab, and I am interested in the processes that shape the deposition and preservation of organic carbon in coastal wetland sediments.  My work focuses on how plant and microbial ecology and coastal sedimentology control organic matter formation, burial, and preservation.  I am studying how nitrogen inputs, a major anthropogenic influence on coastal ecosystems, affects the ability of salt marshes on the East Coast of the U.S.A. to sequester carbon and to accrete sediment.  I am helping lead a three-year field study of how different amounts and chemical forms of nitrogen inputs drive changes in plant biomass accumulation, microbial community response, and sediment carbon sequestration and accretion.  Prior to coming to Northeastern University, I conducted doctoral and postdoctoral research at Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), UC San Diego, on sediment carbon stocks in mangrove forests in the Americas and on carbon stocks and fluxes in coastal San Diego.  Bluesky and Google Scholar 

Kylea Garces is a future-faculty postdoctoral fellow co-advised by Dr. Jen Bowen. Kylea is a community ecologist and excited by all things fungi! Broadly, her research focuses on community assembly of fungal endophytes, with a particular focus in coastal grasses. Kylea is interested in the ways various stressors associated with global change induce shifts within microbial communities which have cascading effects on the plant host, community, and ecosystem. Within the lab, she has built a foundational culture collection of leaf and root fungal endophytes living within marsh grass, Spartina alterniflora, from Plum Island LTER and continues to explore questions of assembly and function of fungi within the marsh. Additionally, she is committed to increasing science literacy and inclusivity in STEM, with her personal philosophy being education as a form of empowerment. She continues to pursue education research as an action towards progressing the academic experience for undergraduate students, particularly those from minoritized backgrounds. You can learn more about her work here.

I am a postdoctoral research associate at the Bowen Lab, specializing in microbial ecology and carbon cycling in extreme environments. My work employs multi-omics approaches to investigate how hydrologic changes in coastal wetland microbiomes influence microbial communities and metabolic interactions. I am also studying the impact of dynamic soil redox conditions on carbon storage, nutrient transformations, and biogeochemical cycling in salt marsh sediments. A key question I am addressing is how tidal flushing affects microbial carbon dynamics in coastal wetlands. Before joining the Bowen Lab, I earned my Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where I studied the effects of fire frequency and fuel type on microbial community structure in temperate mixed forest soils. My background is in environmental engineering and applied microbiology, with experience in contaminant removal, wastewater treatment, and the environmental protection sector.

I’m a third year undergraduate majoring in cell and molecular biology with a minor in marine sciences at Northeastern. I’m interested in conservation and animal behavior. Currently I help with researching plant microbe interactions. While working here I’m hoping to expand my knowledge and skills and get some time out in the marshes.

I am an undergraduate environmental and sustainability sciences major at Northeastern University. I have an interest in marine science and ecology as well as mycology. At the Bowen Lab, I am assisting many research projects including working in the field, lab, and greenhouse. Through my co-op I hope to gain a better understanding of microbiology, salt marsh ecology, ecosystem resilience and adaption to global change, and to see and experience how research is conducted in the real world.

I am an undergraduate marine biology major with a broad interest in coastal ecology and conservation. My work in the Bowen lab mostly involves the Not All Nitrogen project, which focuses on how different forms of nitrogen in varying amounts affect salt marsh health and resilience to climate change. My job as a co-op in the lab has involved equal amounts of field and lab work, with plenty of time spent both in the marsh and at a lab desk. My goals for the remainder of my co-op are to further develop my molecular skills and understanding of the various projects going on in the lab, as well as to improve my data analysis and presentation skills.

I am an undergraduate marine biology student at Northeastern University with an interest in how genomics can be used as a tool for understanding how changes in the carbon cycle are affecting ecosystems. In the Bowen Lab, I will be working with graduate student Mya Darsan to further understanding of the fungal communities and carbon uptake of salt marsh plants. Through this work, I hope to advance my molecular skills and scientific thinking.

I am an undergraduate biology major at Northeastern University with interests in marine biology and ecology. Specifically, I’m interested in the ways humans have impacted the environment and the organismal response. It excites me that we can then potentially use that knowledge to help reduce future damage. Currently, I am helping with research that investigates the impact of hydrologic changes on the metabolic processes of microbes. While working here I hope to gain a better understanding of the interactions between microbes and their environment, and to gain experience in a lab that’s directly connected to the field.