Shawn Devlin, a fourth year ES Ph.D. student in the laboratory of Dr. Yvonne Vadeboncoeur, was recently honored with a Biology Award for Research Excellence (BARE) of $800 from the Department of Biological Sciences at Wright State. These awards are funded through a number of departmental fund raisers, including the annual Department of Biological Sciences Golf Scramble. Shawn’s award-winning research involves the use compound specific stable isotope analysis (CSIA) of Phospholipid Fatty Acids (PLFAs) as a tool for constructing foundational carbon pathways via autotrophic and heterotrophic microbes in aquatic systems. PLFA-CSIA signatures could be used to determine whether bacteria are reliant on C fixed by benthic algae or if they are exploiting other C sources. Carbon utilization by bacteria may influence algal and bacterial production rates which could then effect ecosystem function and shape lake food web dynamics.
Congratulations to Shawn!
