People

Principal Investigator  

Mary Beth Leigh

Professor, Institute of Arctic Biology and the Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks

email: mbleigh@alaska.edu

Office phone: (907) 474-6656

Office location: West Ridge Research Building Room 228

Mailing address: UAF Institute of Arctic Biology, PO Box 757000, Fairbanks, AK 99775

Twitter: @marybethleigh

website

Graduate Students

Alexis Walker

Ph.D. student in Marine Biology (Co-advisor Sarah Hardy)

Research topic: Microbial community structure and function of the Arctic marine benthos

amwalker8@alaska.edu

Twitter: @infinitesimaLex

Kelly Ireland

Ph.D. student in Biological Sciences (Co-advisors: Brandon Briggs, UAA and Kathryn Milligan-Myhre, University of Connecticut)

Research topic: Effects of crude oil exposure on host-microbiome interactions in threespine stickleback

ksireland@alaska.edu

kellysueireland.wordpress.com

Twitter: @kellysue94

Kristin Hruska

M.S. student in Biological Sciences

kmhruska@alaska.edu

Former students and staff (recent)

Taylor Gofstein  

Ph.D. student, Environmental Chemistry

Research topic: Biodegradation of crude oil and chemical dispersants (Corexit 9500) in Arctic seawater

tgofstein@alaska.edu

website

Current affiliation: University of Bridgeport, Bridgeport, CT

Rodney Guritz

Former M.A. student, Rural Development (Co-advisor: Charlene Stern)

Research topic:  Strategies and Resources for Community-Driven Environmental Restoration

rdguritz@alaska.edu

Current affiliation: Arctic Data Services, Fairbanks, AK

Chris Kasanke

Former Ph.D. student, Biological Sciences

Research topic: Biodegradation of sulfolane in a sub-Arctic aquifer

cpkasanke@alaska.edu

Current affiliation: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA

Benjamin Hedges

Former Undergraduate Researcher and Lab Technician/Manager

bhedges2@alaska.edu

Current affiliation: University of Alaska Fairbanks

Kristin Hruska

Former Lab Manager

kmhruska@alaska.edu

Current affiliation: University of Alaska Fairbanks and Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fire Service

Collaborators

Dr. David Barnes

Professor

Institute of Northern Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks

Fairbanks, AK USA

Dr. Eric Collins

Assistant Professor

College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences,  University of Alaska Fairbanks

Fairbanks, AK USA

Dr. Lissy Goralnik

Assistant Professor

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI

Dr. Sarah Mincks

Assistant Professor

College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences,  University of Alaska Fairbanks

Fairbanks, AK USA

Dr. Mary-Cathrine Leewis

Soil Microbiologist

U.S. Geological Survey

Menlo Park, CA, USA

Dr. Tomas Macek

Professor

University of Chemistry and Technology

Prague, Czech Republic

Dr. Armando McDonald

Professor

University of Idaho

Moscow, ID, USA

Dr. Michael P. Nelson

Professor of Environmental Ethics and Philosophy, Ruth H. Spaniol Chair of Renewable Resources

Oregon State University

Corvallis, OR, USA

Dr. Ursel Schuette

Research Scientist

Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks

Fairbanks, AK, USA

Dr. Andres Soria

Director of the Bergland Center, Pacific University

Forest Grove, OR, USA

Dr. Frederick Swanson

Retired, U.S. Forest Service

Corvallis, OR, USA

Dr. Ondrej Uhlik

Associate Professor

University of Chemistry and Technology

Prague, Czech Republic