Jennifer Pett-Ridge is an American biologist who is a senior staff scientist at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. She also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of California, Merced. Her research makes use of systems biology and geochemistry to uncover function in microbial communities. She was awarded a 2021 United States Department of Energy Ernest Orlando Lawrence Award.
Early life and education edit
Pett-Ridge studied biology at Yale University.[1] She moved to the Yale School of the Environment for graduate studies, and specialized in forest science. She worked as a forest service technician at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest.[1] After earning her master's degree, Pett-Ridge joined the University of California, Berkeley for her doctoral research. Her research considered how fluctuating redox regimes impact the ecology of microbial communities.[2] She was appointed a postdoctoral fellow at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and vice chair of soil ecology at the Ecological Society of America.[3]
Research and career edit
Pett-Ridge served as lead scientist for the science focus area on Genomic Science.[3] In 2018, Pett-Ridge was appointed lead of the soil microbiome focus area, in which she oversees the LLML Carbon Uptake pillar of the Carbon Initiative.[4][5] Pett-Ridge has worked in microbial ecology in an effort to understand and predict future climates.[6] She developed isotopic tools (typically C and N isotope composition) and imaging to quantify how climate influences the health of soil, microorganisms and plants.[7] She was supported by a United States Department of Energy Early Career award to investigate how soil microbial communities responded to climate change. In particular, she developed nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry.[citation needed]
Pett-Ridge has investigated whether it is possible to sequester carbon dioxide using plants like switchgrass.[6] The roots of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) can extend 50 feet down, which can contribute to carbon sequestration by locking carbon deep into ground.[8]
In 2020, Pett-Ridge was appointed lead for Sustainability in the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI).[1]
Awards and honors edit
- 2019 Geochemical Society Endowed Biogeochemistry Lecture[9]
- 2021 United States Department of Energy Ernest Orlando Lawrence Award[10][11]
Select publications edit
- F. Wolfe-Simon; J. S. Blum; T. R. Kulp; et al. (2 December 2010). "A Bacterium That Can Grow by Using Arsenic Instead of Phosphorus". Science. 332 (6034): 1163–1166. doi:10.1126/SCIENCE.1197258. ISSN 0036-8075. PMID 21127214. Wikidata Q21706159.
- Marco Keiluweit; Jeremy J. Bougoure; Peter S. Nico; Jennifer Pett-Ridge; Peter K. Weber; Markus Kleber (30 March 2015). "Mineral protection of soil carbon counteracted by root exudates". Nature Climate Change. 5 (6): 588–595. doi:10.1038/NCLIMATE2580. ISSN 1758-678X. Wikidata Q110944846.
- Erin E Nuccio; Angela Hodge; Jennifer Pett-Ridge; Donald J Herman; Peter K Weber; Mary K Firestone (30 January 2013). "An arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus significantly modifies the soil bacterial community and nitrogen cycling during litter decomposition". Environmental Microbiology. 15 (6): 1870–1881. doi:10.1111/1462-2920.12081. ISSN 1462-2912. PMID 23360621. Wikidata Q34566994.
References edit
- ^ a b c "CABBI Welcomes Sustainability Theme PI Jennifer Pett-Ridge | Center for Advanced Bioenergy & Bioproducts Innovation". Retrieved 2022-06-22.
- ^ Pett-Ridge, Jennifer (2005). Rapidly fluctuating redox regimes frame the ecology of microbial communities and their biogeochemical function in a humid tropical soil. OCLC 945871157.
- ^ a b "pettridge2". people.llnl.gov. Retrieved 2022-06-22.
- ^ Celebrating Women in Climate Action with LLNL Director Kim Budil, retrieved 2022-06-22
- ^ "Jennifer Pett-Ridge Biography". carbon-economy.llnl.gov. Retrieved 2022-06-22.
- ^ a b "Bacteria wars are raging in soil, and it's keeping ecosystems healthy". Popular Science. 2021-04-30. Retrieved 2022-06-22.
- ^ "Go with your gut—the hidden secrets and powers of microbiomes". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 2022-06-22.
- ^ Ashley, Dan; Didion, Tim (2021-07-26). "Here's how Bay Area researchers are using plants to fight climate change". ABC7 San Francisco. Retrieved 2022-06-22.
- ^ "Endowed Biogeochemistry Lecture | Geochemical Society". www.geochemsoc.org. Retrieved 2022-06-22.
- ^ "Energy Secretary Granholm Announces 2021 Ernest Orlando Lawrence Award Winners". Energy.gov. Retrieved 2022-06-22.
- ^ "Two LLNL scientists earn E.O. Lawrence Award". www.llnl.gov. Retrieved 2022-06-22.