Lead Principal Investigator
Dr. Paul G. Falkowski, Distinguished Professor
room: 318D
e-mail: falko@marine.rutgers.edu
phone: (848) 932-3426
Research Interests: Biogeochemical cycles, photosynthesis, biological oceanography, molecular biology, biochemistry and biophysics, physiological adaptation, plant physiology, evolution, mathematical modeling, symbiosis.
Faculty Members
Dr. Linda Godfrey, Assistant Research Professor
room: 233B, Wright Geological Laboratory
e-mail: godfrey@marine.rutgers.edu
phone: (732) 445-3427
Research Interests: Evolution of the nitrogen cycle over geological time; light stable and radiogenic isotope geochemistry; development of paired Hf-Nd isotopes as paleoceanographic tracers; hydrogeology and paleoclimate of the Atacama Desert and Southern Altiplano.
Dr. Maxim Gorbunov, Associate Research Professor
room: 309A
e-mail: gorbunov@marine.rutgers.edu
phone: (848) 932-3455
Research Interests: Biological oceanography, coral reefs, biophysics and physiology of photosynthesis, photoreceptors, benthic ecosystems, ocean optics, relationship between physical and biological processes in the ocean, global biogeochemical cycles, remote sensing.
Dr. Oscar Schofield, Distinguished Professor
room: 318C
e-mail: oscar@marine.rutgers.edu
phone: (848) 932-3436
Research Interests: Phytoplankton ecology and physiology. Ocean technologies. Impact of climate change on ocean ecosystems.
Dr. Fiorella Prada, Assistant Professor
room: 114C
email: prada@marine.rutgers.edu
phone: (848) 932-3450
Research Interests: Coral biomineralization and skeletal mechanical properties; climate change impacts on marine ecosystems.
Post-doctoral Associates/Fellows
Dr. Jyotirmoy Mondal, Post-doctoral Associate
phone: (865) 771-7736 or (848) 932-3450
Research Interests: Protein biochemistry; Protein evolution; Structural biology; Photosynthesis; Astrobiology; Extremophilic microorganisms
Dr. Corday Selden, Rutgers Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow
room: 318E
e-mail: crselden@marine.rutgers.edu
phone: (848) 932-3428
Research Interests: Biogeochemical cycling, particularly marine nitrogen and carbon cycling; evolution of microbial metabolism; biosphere-geosphere interactions and feedbacks between aquatic ecosystems and global climate; cycling of bioessential trace elements and their isotopes; (isotope) metallomics; N2 fixation.
Dr. Jennifer Timm, Post-doctoral Associate
room: 303F
e-mail: jennifer.timm@marine.rutgers.edu
phone: (848) 932-3493
Research Interests: Metalloproteins, Molecular evolution, Structure biology.
Visiting Scientists
Dr. Brian J. Stockman, Visiting Scientist
Professor, Department of Chemistry at Adelphi University
room: 204K
e-mail: bstockman@adelphi.edu
phone: (860) 908-2073
Research Interests: Mineral surfaces and evolution of proteins, Origins of life, Biological electron transfer chemistries, Biochemical NMR spectroscopy
Other Staff/Research Members
Beatrice Birrer, Senior Program Coordinator
room: 318
e-mail: bea@marine.rutgers.edu
phone: (848) 932-3436
Liti Haramaty, Laboratory/Technical Researcher
room: 305A
e-mail: haramaty@marine.rutgers.edu
phone: (848) 932-3464
Research Interests: Programmed Cell Death in phytoplankton and its role in bloom demise, and in response to stress and viral infection. Coral bleaching and response of corals and zooxanthellae to stress. The role of apoptosis in coral death after a bleaching event.
Kevin Wyman, Laboratory Researcher
room: 318E
e-mail: wyman@marine.rutgers.edu
phone: (848) 932-3428
Research Interests: As Lab Manager, my research interest parallels those of the entire group. I help people in the group with technical support, procurement, proper maintenance and use of research instrumentation while also overseeing adherence to proper lab safety procedures.
Graduate Assistants/Students
Michael Chen, Graduate Student
room: 304
e-mail: michael.chen@marine.rutgers.edu
Research Interests: Climate change and marine ecosystems.
Lydia Dimattia, Graduate Student
room: 318A
e-mail: lmd357@eps.rutgers.edu
phone number: (609) 472-9917
Research Interests: Astrobiology, Microbial biosignatures, Co-evolution of the biosphere & geosphere, Abiogenesis, Extremophile evolution & adaptation mechanisms
Heshani Pupulewatte, Graduate Student
room: 318A
e-mail: hp518@rutgers.edu
phone: (732) 861-7459
Research Interests: Biophysical chemistry, Environmental analytical chemistry.
Renna Yi, Graduate Student
e-mail: ry136@rutgers.edu
Research Interests: Mathematical modeling of catalysis and autocatalysis, prebiotic chemistry.
Undergraduate Assistants/Students
Jesse Noble, Undergraduate Student
Major/Minor: Major – Marine Science, Minor – Astrobiology
e-mail: jhn38@scarletmail.rutgers.edu
Research Interests: Ways to discover life on other moons and planets using knowledge of what we know about life on earth and biological systems. Specifically moons with liquid water (Europa and Enceladus).