Curriculum Vitae
Matthew R McIlvin
Research Associate III
Dept. of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Woods Hole, MA 02543
Email: mmcilvin@whoi.edu
Phone: (508) 289-2884
Education:
 Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry, 2008. University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA.
 B.S. in Chemistry, B.S. in Mathematics, 1998. University of Massachusetts,
Dartmouth, MA.
Work Experience:
Research Associate, Saito lab: 2010-present, Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst.
 Performed sample analysis using Q-exactive, LTQ, TSQ, and ICP mass
spectrometers.
 Analysis and data processing for proteomics and metals on large sample sets.
 Adapted multi-dimensional liquid chromatography methods for protein analysis on
cultured bacteria and field samples.
 Maintained and repaired mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography, electrochemical
and other laboratory equipment.
Research Associate, Casciotti lab: 2004-2010, Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst.
 Managed biogeochemical laboratory including all equipment maintenance, data and
sample management, and supervision of post docs and graduate students.
 Operated stable isotope facility that earned approximately $35,000 per year running
nitrate isotope samples for outside clients and ran over 10,000 samples for internal
laboratory experiments.
 Methods developed: a more cost-effective, faster method of oxygen isotopic analysis
of water; a simpler method for hydroxylamine concentration in seawater; and, the
first method for nutrient and isotopic analysis of individual benthic foraminifera.
 Equipment designed and built: first automated system for concentration and isotopic
analysis of dissolved N2O in water samples; automated N2O headspace purge and trap
system interface for IRMS; and, incubation chambers for labeled isotope experiments
with marine sponges.
 Organized and prepared for seven major oceanographic research expeditions to South
Pacific, North Pacific, North Atlantic, South Atlantic, and Indian Oceans.
 Certified for scientific diving at WHOI, 2007.
 Over 3 months shipboard sampling and groundwater sampling.
Research Assistant, 1998-2004, Center for Marine Science and Tech., New Bedford, MA
 6 years experience in a marine chemistry laboratory while working towards Ph.D.
 Developed novel methods for nitrogen and oxygen isotopic analysis of nitrate and
nitrite in seawater and freshwater.
 Performed regular and major maintenance on two isotope ratio mass spectrometers,
GC, and HPLC.
 Installed new EA-IRMS, purge and trap IRMS, and quadrupole MS.
 Enhanced GC-IRMS interface for nitrogen and carbon isotopic analysis of amino
acids.
 Designed and built autosampler and nitrous oxide trapping system for IRMS.
 Over 4 months shipboard sampling and analysis in Atlantic and Southern oceans.
Marine Mechanic, 1990-2005, Ron’s Marine Service, Chatham, MA
 Worked part to full time in a family business.
 Repaired and rebuilt boat engines and electrical systems.
Teaching Experience:
Umass Dartmouth Chemistry Dept., North Dartmouth, MA
 Instructor, Chemistry Lab and Organic Chemistry recitation (2001)
 Laboratory Teaching Assistant (1997-2002)
o physical chemistry (4 semesters),
o analytical chemistry (2 semesters),
o organic chemistry
o general chemistry (3 semesters)
Publications:
 Mackey KRM, Paytan A, Caldeira K, Grossman A, Moran D, McIlvin MR, Saito
MA, Effect of temperature on photosynthesis and growth in marine Synechococcus,
PLANT PHYSIOLOGY, August 2013 pp.113.221937.
 Aguirre JD, Clark HM, McIlvin MR, Vazquez C, Palmere SL, Grab DJ, Seshu J,
Hart PJ, Saito MA, Culotta VC, A Manganese-rich Environment Supports Superoxide
Dismutase Activity in a Lyme Disease Pathogen, Borrelia burgdorferi, JOURNAL
OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY, Volume 288, Issue 12, Pages 8468-8478, March
2013.
 Casciotti KL, Buchwald C, McIlvin MR, Implications of nitrate and nitrite isotopic
measurements for the mechanisms of nitrogen cycling in the Peru oxygen deficient
zone, DEEP SEA RESEARCH Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, Volume 80,
2013, Pages 78–93.
 Bertrand EM, Moran DM, McIlvin MR, Hoffman JM, Allen AE, Saito MA,
Methionine synthase interreplacement in diatom cultures and communities:
Implications for the persistence of B12 use by eukaryotic phytoplankton,
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY, 58(4), 2013, 1431-1450.
 Buchwald C, Santoro AE, McIlvin MR, Casciotto CL, Oxygen isotopic composition
of nitrate and nitrite produced by nitrifying cocultures and natural marine
assemblages, LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPY, 57(5), 2012, 1361-1375.
 Bernhard JM, Casciotti KL, McIlvin MR, Beaudoin DJ, Visscher PT, Edgcomb VP,
Potential importance of physiologically diverse benthic foraminifera in sedimentary
nitrate storage and respiration, JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCHBIOGEOSCIENCES, 117, 2012, Article Number: G03002 DOI: 10.1029/2012JG001949.
 Bernhard JM, Edgcomb VP, Casciotti KL, McIlvin MR, Beaudoin DJ,
Denitrification likely catalyzed by endobionts in an allogromiid foraminifer, ISME
JOURNAL, 6(5), 2012, 951-960.
 Santoro AE, Buchwald C, McIlvin MR, Casciotti KL, Isotopic Signature of N2O
Produced by Marine Ammonia-oxidizing Archaea. SCIENCE, 333(6047), 2011,
1282-1285.
 McIlvin MR, Casciotti KL, Technical Updates to the Bacterial Method for Nitrate
Isotopic Analyses, ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, 83(5), 2011, 1850-1856.
 Casciotti KL, McIlvin MR, Buchwald C, Oxygen isotopic exchange and
fractionation during bacterial ammonia oxidation, LIMNOLOGY AND
OCEANOGRAPHY, 55(2), 2010, 753-762.
 McIlvin MR, Casciotti KL, Fully automated system for stable isotopic analyses of
dissolved nitrous oxide at natural abundance levels, LIMNOLOGY AND
OCEANOGRAPHY-METHODS, 8, 2010, 54-66.
 Casciotti KL, McIlvin MR, and Buchwald C., Oxygen isotopic exchange and
fractionation during bacterial ammonia oxidation, LIMNOLOGY AND
OCEANOGRAPHY, 55(2), 2010, 753–762.
 Higgins MB, Robinson RS, Casciotti KL, McIlvin MR, et al., A Method for
Determining the Nitrogen Isotopic Composition of Porphyrins, ANALYTICAL
CHEMISTRY 81(1), 2009, 184-192.
 Casciotti KL, McIlvin MR, Isotopic analyses of nitrate and nitrite from reference
mixtures and application to Eastern Tropical North Pacific waters, MARINE
CHEMISTRY, 107(2), 2007, 184-201.
 Casciotti KL, Bohlke JK, McIlvin MR, et al., Oxygen isotopes in nitrite: Analysis,
calibration, and equilibration, ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, 79(6), 2007, 24272436.
 McIlvin MR, Casciotti KL, Method for the analysis of delta O-18 in water,
ALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, 78(7), 2006, 2377-2381.
 McIlvin MR, Altabet MA, Chemical conversion of nitrate and nitrite to nitrous oxide
for nitrogen and oxygen isotopic analysis in freshwater and seawater, ANALYTICAL
CHEMISTRY, 77(17), 2005, 5589-5595