Heather is a PhD student studying microbial ecology in the soils and lakes of the McMurdo Dry Valleys. In soils, she uses molecular techniques including metatranscriptomics, stable isotope probing, and 16S & 18S rRNA gene sequencing to differentiate and characterize active community members. In lakes she uses 16S & 18S rRNA gene sequencing to study diversity and seasonal succession of microbial communities in the water column year round.