I am a microbial ecologist who studies the roles of microorganisms in biogeochemical cycles. Microbially-mediated transformations of elements are integral to aquatic ecosystem function, yet little is known about the controls on microbial activity. My research interests focus on the activities and energetics of microbial metabolism in aquatic environments, especially those that are energy-limited. I am also interested in microbial interactions with ice, and microbial ecosystem-level responses to change, both within the context of seasonal cycles (e.g. lake ice-on and ice-off) and incremental and acute changes related to land-use or climate change.
I teach undergraduate and graduate level courses in Microbiology, Microbial Ecology, and Limnology.
Graduate Students
K. M. Shafi, Ph.D. Student, Biological Sciences I started working at Dr. Vick-Majors’ Lab in the spring of 2024. I graduated from the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh with a B.S. and M.S. in Microbiology. My master’s research and professional involvement in the isolation of bacteria from extreme conditions like diesel oil-contaminated soil sites and highly treated pharmaceutical water intrigued me to know more about the roles that microorganisms play in the ecological setup, especially in aquatic environments. I am particularly interested in microbial dynamics in aquatic ecological conditions, their metabolic ability to survive extreme conditions, and how they participate individually and in a community. At MTU, as a Ph.D. student, my research focuses on collecting samples from extreme cold conditions, cultivating microorganisms in the lab, screening for microbes that can modulate ice, and trying to figure out the natural biomolecules responsible for ice formation. To accomplish this, I'm using computational biology and molecular microbiological approaches. I feel fortunate to work in Dr. Vick-Majors’ lab where the supportive academic atmosphere, and cooperative, and fun-loving team members help conducting research efficiently. Thus, I can happily call Dr. Vick-Majors’ Lab my second home.
Garrett Lukosavich, M.S. Student, Biological Sciences I began work in Dr. Vick-Majors lab in the winter of 2022 as part of my undergraduate capstone research project. Initially brought on as a field hand to assist with the collection of ice and snow samples from many of the Keweenaw Peninsula’s lakes, I’ve since begun work on investigating the formation of microbial assemblages in freshwater ice for my M.S. program. My primary interest lies in the community dynamics and resource partitioning of this unique ice-bound ecosystem, and the development of novel methodologies to help drive adjacent research.
Connor O'Loughlin, M.S. Student, Biological Sciences
Undergraduate Students
Matthew Brovont, Biological Sciences, Michigan Tech Matthew is an undergraduate research assistant working on ATP analysis in aquatic samples and on flow cytometry methods development.
Allen Cureton, Biological Sciences, Michigan Tech Allen is an undergraduate research assistant working on cultivation of novel microorganisms from Arctic lakes.
Garrett Aud, Biological Sciences, Michigan Tech Garrett is an undergraduate research assistant working on analysis of snow and ice samples from north temperate lakes.
Rebekah Hoehne, Biological Sciences, Michigan Tech Rebekah is an undergraduate research assistant working on analysis of snow and ice samples from north temperate lakes.
Lab Alums
Graduate Students
Vanessa Cubillos Tellez, M.S., Biological Sciences, 2023. Lab Technician for AQUA lab at Michigan Tech.
Undergraduate Students
Kali Kater, Undergraduate Researcher, Biological Sciences. B.S., Fall 2023
Garrett Lukosavich, Undergraduate Researcher, Biological Sciences. B.S., Spring 2022. M.S. student, MTU.
Rachel Anguish, Undergraduate Researcher, Environmental Engineering. B.S., Spring 2022. Researcher at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
Aleksander Milosevic, Undergraduate Researcher, Biological Sciences