PostDoc | University of Southern California | buckwies@usc.edu
Bio
My research focuses on marine carbon cycling and the question: Why does some carbon become sequestered in the ocean? With a background in ecology and microbiology, I seek to understand the molecular properties that render certain compounds inaccessible to marine bacteria. In particular, my research focuses on carbohydrates, which span from simple glucose to long and complex polysaccharides such as fucoidan. During my PhD, I have used and developed analytical tools for identifying and quantifying environmental carbohydrates. Now, I am developing models of marine carbohydrate degradation to understand the ecological reasons for carbohydrate persistence and their potential to capture carbon in the ocean.
Research Interests
Biogeochemistry, microbial ecology
