Biography
I grew up in Fairview, Utah, about 50 miles south of Provo. I earned my B.S. in microbiology from Brigham Young University in 1980. I then went to Oregon State University in Corvallis where I earned my Ph.D. in 1985 in microbiology studying bacterial RNA polymerase, with an emphasis in molecular biology. I conducted postdoctoral research at the University of California, Irvine, from 1985-1988, studying plant chloroplast DNA replication and associated enzymes. I was on the faculty at Auburn University in Alabama from 1988-2000, and then moved to BYU as a professor in 2000. I enjoy working with students in the classroom and the laboratory, and sharing my experience and knowledge of molecular biology. I enjoy reading, fishing, and gardening with my wife.
Research Interests
I am interested in many aspects of plant molecular biology, particularly DNA replication and recombination in chloroplasts and mitochondria, transcriptomics of halophytes, and microbiomes of halophytes (salt-tolerant plants). With growing problems of soil salinity worldwide that affect crop productivity, our recent work has focused on identifying and characterizing salt-tolerant bacteria from halophytes. Some of the isolated strains have shown the ability to enhance growth of salt-sensitive crops in salty soil.Teaching Interests
Molecular Biology (general and advanced), Gene Regulation, History and Philosophy of Microbiology and Molecular BiologyEducation
- Post Doctoral, Molecular Biology , University of California, Irvine (1988)
- PhD, Microbiology , Oregon State University (1985)
- BS, Microbiology , Brigham Young University (1980)
Honors and Awards
- John A. Widtsoe Grant Award, Brigham Young University (2022 - 2023)
- Faculty Distinguished Service Award, BYU College of Life Sciences (2022 - 2022)
- Biology and Agriculture College Professorship, Brigham Young Univ. College of Biology & Agriculture (2005 - 2005)
- Mentored Andrew Edmondson and Mike Zundel, undergraduate students, ORCA Research Scholarships (2003 - 2003)
- Mentored undergraduate student Andrew Edmondson, ORCA Research Scholarship (2002 - 2003)
- Mentoring grants, BYU Office of Research and Creative Activity (ORCA) and College of Biology & Agriculture (2001 - 2002)
- Alumni/Sigma Xi Research Award recipient, Auburn (1998 - 1998)
- Summer Faculty Research Associate, U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research, San Antonio, Texas, Brooks Air Force Base (1997 - 1997)
- Campus Biotechnology Training Program, University of California, Irvine, Postdoctoral Training Fellowship (1986 - 1988)
- Annual Outstanding Graduate Student Publication Award, Graduate School, Oregon State Univ. (1985 - 1985)
- Tartar Competitive Research Fellowship, Microbiology, Oregon State University (1981 - 1983)
- Outstanding undergraduate research award, Thermochemical Institute, Brigham Young University (1980 - 1980)
Administrative Assignments
- Dept. of Microbiology & Molecular Biology: Department Chair (2005 - 2011)
Memberships
- American Society for Microbiology (1998 - Present)
- American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (1991 - Present)
- American Society of Plant Biologists (1989 - Present)
Professional Citizenship
- Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan (2019 - Present)
- Editor, Associate Editor, MDPI Plants Journal (2018 - Present)
- Adjudicator, Sterling Scholars of Utah (2018 - Present)
- Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, University of Karachi, Pakistan (2016 - Present)
- Editorial Review Board Member, Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture (2014 - Present)
- Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, University of Karachi, Pakistan (2012 - Present)
- Grant Proposal Reviewer, External, National Science Foundation (2011 - Present)
- Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, Nucleic Acids Research, Nature Plants, Scientific Reports, Physiologia Plantarum, Plant Cell, Plant Physiology, Protist, Journal of Experimental Botany (2005 - Present)
- Guest Speaker, University of Karachi (2021 - 2023)
- Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, Louisiana State University (2021 - 2021)
- Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan (2021 - 2021)
- Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (2017 - 2021)
- Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, University of Tasmania, Australia (2020 - 2020)
- Other, Arches Academy (2018 - 2020)
- Guest Speaker, Khan Institute of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering (2019 - 2019)
- Other, National Institutes of Health (2018 - 2019)
- Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, COMSATS University, Islamabad, Pakistan (2018 - 2018)
- Editor, Associate Editor, Frontiers in Plant Science (2014 - 2016)
- Conference-Related Role, Western Branch, American Society of Plant Biologists (2016 - 2016)
- Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, Univ. of Nebraska; National Central University, Taiwan (2011 - 2015)
- Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, Sterling Scholars of Central Utah (2009 - 2013)