Geochemical processes and distribution of microbial communities in the hyperarid region of the Atacama Desert
I am interdisciplinary earth scientists motivated by understanding the interactions between geochemical and biological processes. My work relies on chemical and isotopic analyses of soil, water, and biologic material; environmental monitoring; and metagenomic data. The overarching theme of my dissertation work has been to explore the geochemical processes and distribution of microbial communities in the hyperarid region of the Atacama Desert. I have characterized how water evaporation from shallow groundwater in dried lake beds drives soil formation, examined the Holocene climate record preserved in biologic material and sediments, and explored how microbial community composition in salt crusts changes along a moisture gradient. I would like to thank everyone that has helped me along the way, I could not have done this alone!