people

(Principal investigator / Senior Researcher at JAMSTEC)

I'm a biologist/bioinformatician working as a senior researcher at JAMSTEC's (Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology) X-star department (Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research). As a researcher at JAMSTEC's X-star department, we have full freedom to explore our scientific curiosities hands-on regarding the ocean, Earth, and life. We generally don't teach (no coursework or students) but host postdocs and visiting students to educate and collaborate in the lab.

I’ve been trained in biology, geology, and engineering (B.A. 2011, Carleton College, MN // M.Sc. 2013 & Ph.D. 2017, U of Illinois), studying both ancient and modern Earth. Why is life the way it is? How can our understanding of life deepen our comprehension and protection of our planet? These questions lie at the heart of my passion for research.