Trista Vick-Majors

Trista Vick-Majors is an American Assistant Professor in Biological Sciences at Michigan Tech. She is an Antarctic biogeochemist and microbial ecologist, best known for her work showing that microorganisms are present under the Antarctic ice sheet.[1]

Trista Vick-Majors
NationalityUnited States
Alma materBA in Biology, Colorado College (2003)

MSc, Montana State University (2010)

PhD, Montana State University (2016)
Scientific career
FieldsBiogeochemisty
Microbial ecology
InstitutionsBSc Colorado College
PhD Montana State University
Assistant Professor Michigan Technological University
Websitehttp://www.whereverthereswater.org

Early life and education

Vick-Majors grew up in Calhan, Colorado and completed her BA in Biology at Colorado College in 2003. Vick-Majors spent two years studying the microbial ecology of hot springs at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas and graduated with her MSc from Montana State University in 2010. Vick-Majors earned her PhD in Ecology and Environmental Sciences from Montana State University in 2016.[2]

Vick-Majors’ MSc work focused on the responses of heterotrophic microorganisms to the onset of the polar night in Antarctica,[3][4] while her PhD focused on microbial ecology and biogeochemistry in Subglacial Lake Whillans and under the McMurdo Ice Shelf.[5][6]

Career and impact

Vick-Majors is a biogeochemist and microbial ecologist with interests in carbon biogeochemistry, polar environments, aquatic ecology, and subglacial ecosystems.[7] Vick-Majors began working in the Antarctic in 2008 as part of an International Polar Year-funded project to study ecosystem responses to the Antarctic Polar Night – the first expedition of its kind,[8][9] and has since been involved in Antarctic expeditions to the McMurdo Dry Valleys, the McMurdo Ice Shelf, Subglacial Lake Whillans in West Antarctica, and to the Ross Ice Shelf.[10][11]

Vick-Majors was part of the first field team (the Whillans Ice Stream Subglacial Access Research and Drilling project (WISSARD)) to successfully obtain samples from an Antarctic subglacial lake.[10][12] Her work with WISSARD showed that microorganisms are present under the Antarctic ice sheet.[1]

Vick-Majors has contributed to the advancement of early career researchers in the polar sciences through her work with the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists[13] and to public education and outreach efforts,[14][15][16] and the popular press.[17][18]

Awards and honours

Vick-Majors was awarded the American Fellowship by the American Association of University Women in 2014, to support her dissertation work and in recognition of her commitment to helping women and girls through service to her community.[19][20] Vick-Majors has also been a fellow of the Institute on Ecosystems (2014 and 2015)[21] and the Montana Space Grant Consortium.[22] In 2015, she received the American Society for Microbiology Travel Award ($500) and the Institute on Ecosystems Graduate Research Fellow ($750).[23]

Selected bibliography
  • Vick, TJ; Dodsworth, Jeremy A; Costa, KC; Shock, EL; Hedlund, Brian P; (2010) Microbiology and geochemistry of Little Hot Creek, a hot spring environment in the Long Valley Caldera. Geobiology 8(2)140-154[24]
  • Christner, Brent C; Priscu, John C; Achberger, Amanda M; Barbante, Carlo; Carter, Sasha P; Christianson, Knut; Michaud, Alexander B; Mikucki, Jill A; Mitchell, Andrew C; Skidmore, Mark L, Vick-Majors, Trista J. (2014) A microbial ecosystem beneath the West Antarctic ice sheet Nature 512,7514:310-313.[5]
  • Vick-Majors, Trista J; Priscu, John C; Amaral-Zettler, Linda A (2014) Modular community structure suggests metabolic plasticity during the transition to polar night in ice-covered Antarctic lakes,The ISME Journal 8:4,778-789[25]

References
  1. "Life Under Antarctica's Ice | DiscoverMagazine.com". Discover Magazine. Retrieved 2016-06-19.
  2. "Catching Up With an Alumna: Trista Vick-Majors". Graduate School, Montana State University. Retrieved 2016-06-19.
  3. Vick-Majors, Trista J.; Priscu, John C.; Amaral-Zettler, Linda A. (2014-04-01). "Modular community structure suggests metabolic plasticity during the transition to polar night in ice-covered Antarctic lakes". The ISME Journal. 8 (4): 778–789. doi:10.1038/ismej.2013.190. ISSN 1751-7370. PMC 3960534. PMID 24152712.
  4. Vick, Trista J.; Priscu, John C. (2012-12-18). "Bacterioplankton productivity in lakes of the Taylor Valley, Antarctica, during the polar night transition". Aquatic Microbial Ecology. 68 (1): 77–90. doi:10.3354/ame01604.
  5. Christner, Brent C.; Priscu, John C.; Achberger, Amanda M.; Barbante, Carlo; Carter, Sasha P.; Christianson, Knut; Michaud, Alexander B.; Mikucki, Jill A.; Mitchell, Andrew C. (2014). "A microbial ecosystem beneath the West Antarctic ice sheet". Nature. 512 (7514): 310–313. Bibcode:2014Natur.512..310.. doi:10.1038/nature13667. PMID 25143114.
  6. Vick-Majors, Trista J.; Achberger, Amanda; Santibáñez, Pamela; Dore, John E.; Hodson, Timothy; Michaud, Alexander B.; Christner, Brent C.; Mikucki, Jill; Skidmore, Mark L. (2016-03-01). "Biogeochemistry and microbial diversity in the marine cavity beneath the McMurdo Ice Shelf, Antarctica". Limnology and Oceanography. 61 (2): 572–586. Bibcode:2016LimOc..61..572V. doi:10.1002/lno.10234. ISSN 1939-5590.
  7. "Trista J. Vick-Majors". Trista J. Vick-Majors. Retrieved 2016-06-19.
  8. "IPY Polar Night 2008 Project - Priscu Research Group | Montana State University". www.montana.edu. Retrieved 2016-06-19.
  9. "The Antarctic Sun: News about Antarctica - Polar Night in the Valleys". antarcticsun.usap.gov. Retrieved 2016-06-19.
  10. "MSU grad students part of historic expedition in Antarctica". Montana State University. Retrieved 2016-06-19.
  11. Fox, Douglas. "Discovery: Fish Live beneath Antarctica". Scientific American. Retrieved 2016-06-19.
  12. Kaufman, Marc (February 6, 2013). "Life Found Deep Under Antarctic Ice for First Time? U.S. scientists discover microbes in lake a half-mile under the surface". National Geographic.
  13. "Focus on the Future of Polar Research - Eos". Eos. Retrieved 2016-06-19.
  14. "Manitou kids hear about going south - way south". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved 2016-06-19.
  15. Writer, TROY CARTER, Staff. "Kids practice science at MSU camp". Bozeman Daily Chronicle. Retrieved 2016-06-19.
  16. "Antarctic Discovery Lectures - Innovation in Antarctic Microbiology, and Volcanoes in Antarctica". www.cssciencecenter.org. Retrieved 2016-06-19.
  17. "Episode 5: Life In The Antarctic". Out There. Retrieved 2016-06-19.
  18. "Episode 10: Life Beneath the Ice". Out There. Retrieved 2016-06-19.
  19. "AAUW Fellows". AAUW: Empowering Women Since 1881. Retrieved 2016-06-19.
  20. "American Fellowships". AAUW: Empowering Women Since 1881. Retrieved 2016-06-19.
  21. "MSU graduate students receive funding for environmental research | Institute on Ecosystems". montanaioe.org. Retrieved 2016-06-19.
  22. "<2009-2010awards>". spacegrant.montana.edu. Retrieved 2016-06-19.
  23. http://independent.academia.edu/TristaVickMajors/CurriculumVitae
  24. Vick, T. J.; Dodsworth, J. A.; Costa, K. C.; Shock, E. L.; Hedlund, B. P. (2010-03-01). "Microbiology and geochemistry of Little Hot Creek, a hot spring environment in the Long Valley Caldera". Geobiology. 8 (2): 140–154. doi:10.1111/j.1472-4669.2009.00228.x. ISSN 1472-4669. PMID 20002204.
  25. Vick-Majors, Trista J.; Priscu, John C.; Amaral-Zettler, Linda A. (2014-04-01). "Modular community structure suggests metabolic plasticity during the transition to polar night in ice-covered Antarctic lakes". The ISME Journal. 8 (4): 778–789. doi:10.1038/ismej.2013.190. ISSN 1751-7362. PMC 3960534. PMID 24152712.
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