Big World of Tiny Microbes

Presenter: Dr. Yaqi You, Assistant Professor, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

Talk Overview:

Do you know that we are more microbe than human? There are about ten times more cells of microbial organisms than human cells on and inside our bodies. In fact, the big world we live in is full of tiny microbes (up to 1 trillion species of prokaryotes) that themselves form complex systems called microbiomes. These microbial systems drive essential, macro-scale processes on the earth, ranging from nutrient cycling to plant and animal health and to engineering applications such as wastewater treatment. Dr. You will share her journey in search of microbiomes in humans, fish, soil, water, and activated sludge. She will also talk about the promise of harnessing the environmental microbiome towards a sustainable future.

Biography:

Dr. Yaqi You is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Resources Engineering at SUNY ESF where she directs the Environmental Microbiome Research Lab. Her research interests lie broadly in environmental microbiology and biotechnology with a long-term goal of harnessing the environmental microbiome for a sustainable food-energy-water nexus. Dr. You received her Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from Johns Hopkins University and completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Environmental Health Sciences at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Next TACNY Junior Café Scientifique:

November 18, 2023: Megan Thomas, OCWA water treatment