Wyoming State Science Fair Project

Microbiology

Jerry Johnson

Email: jdjohn@uwyo.edu
Telephone: 307-766-3527
Department: Molecular Biology

Website: http://www.uwyo.edu/MolecBio/johnson.html

Expertise:

Franco Basile

Email: basile@uwyo.edu
Telephone: 307-766-4376
Department: UW-Department of Chemistry

Website: http://uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/chemistry/Faculty/Basile/default.asp

Expertise:

Analytical Chemistry: Analytical Chemists answer two important questions about the nature of samples: First, what is it? and second, how much is there? My investigations deal more with the first question as I try to identify microorganisms like the E. coli bacteria. I can obtain "chemical fingerprints" of the bacteria and identify them by their protein and lipid content. These methods find applications in the hospital to diagnose diseases and in our national defense to detect and identify biological weapons.

Stephen E. Williams

Email: sewms@uwyo.edu
Telephone: 307-766-2683
Department: Renewable Resources

Website: http://uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/RenewableResources/soil/williams.htm

Expertise:

I work with roots, root biology, soil microorganims (bacteria and fungi) that enhance plant growth. This is related to applied and basic research in forestry, range management, mined land reclamation, fire ecology and soil pollution. Current projects include research in nitrogen fixation by forest and range legumes, impact of atmospheric nitrogen deposition on soil processes in alpine environments, and identification of below ground ecosystem vital signs in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Stephen Herbert

Email: sherbert@uwyo.edu
Telephone:
Department: Botany

Website: http://uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/botany/herbert.htm

Expertise:

I study the physiology of plants and photosynthetic microbes.
Physiology is the study of how living things perform all the daily functions needed for survival. I am especially interested in photosynthesis, which is how some living things use sunlight to make food from water and air.