Curriculum vitae
(Updated January 15th, 2015)
Lucas J. Beversdorf, PhD
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
236 Lapham Hall
3209 N Maryland Ave
Milwaukee, WI 53207
Email: lucasb@uwm.edu
Current positions
Adjunct Faculty: University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Biological Sciences Department. January
2015 – present.
Postdoctoral Research Associate: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Joseph Zilber School of
Public Health, Laboratory of Dr. Todd Miller. September 2013 – Present.
Education
Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI (2013): Civil and Environmental
Engineering, Advisor: Katherine D. McMahon
M.S., University of Hawaii-Manoa, Honolulu, HI (2008): Oceanography, Advisor: David M.
Karl
B.S., Marian University, Fond du Lac, WI (2002): Biology and Chemistry, Summa cum laude
Harlaxton College, Grantham, Lincolnshire, UK (2002): Art and British History, study abroad
University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA (2001): Howard Hughes Fellow (REU), Medical
Microbiology, Advisor: Lacy Daniels
Past research
Marian University — Nematode/bacterial symbiosis and heat shock proteins
Marian University — Human anatomical dissection (independent study of cadavers)
University of Iowa, Howard Hughes Fellow, Department of Medical Microbiology — Senior
thesis: “Enzyme kinetics and virulence factors of Mycobacterium phlei and
Mycobacterium smegmatis coenzyme F420”
Great Lakes WATER Institute — The potential for beach sand to serve as a reservoir for
Escherichia coli and the physical influences on cell die–off
University of Hawaii-Manoa, Department of Microbiology — Characterization of genes in
Pseudomonas aeruginosa fatty acid degradation (fad) and biosynthesis (fab)
University of Hawaii-Manoa, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology — Master’s
thesis: “Microbial phosphonate metabolism and the aerobic production of methane”
Sapelo Island, GA — Interactions between Littoraria irrorata and Spartina: the role of fungal
farming across contrasting landscapes of a saltmarsh
Primorigen Biosciences, Madison, WI — Development of a multiplexed microarray for
induced pluripotent stem cell biomarkers
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering —
PhD thesis: “Spatial and temporal variation in cyanobacterial population dynamics and
microcystin production in eutrophic lakes”
Oceanographic research cruises
Hawaii Ocean Time–series (HOT)
1) Cruise 170: June12–17, 2005
2) Cruise 171: July 14–19, 2005
3) Cruise 172: August 11–16, 2005
4) Cruise 192: June 7–12, 2007
5) Cruise 193: July 5–10, 2007
6) Cruise 195: September 1–5, 2007
7) Cruise 196: October 1–5, 2007
Agouron Summer Course, University of Hawaii at Manoa
8) Cruise 1: July 4–10, 2006
Center for Microbial Oceanography Research and Education (C–MORE)
9) Bloom Ecological Reconnaissance (BloomER) Cruise: August 9–21, 2007
Teaching and outreach
Adjunct Faculty, University of Wisconsin-Parkside
Molecular Biology/Biostatistics 381 (Spring 2015)
Molecular Biology 731 (Spring 2015)
Mentor, Wisconsin Allegiance for Minority Participation (WiscAMP)(2014-present)
Lead, Milwaukee Health Department Beach Monitoring Program (May 2014-present)
Teaching assistant
University of Hawaii-Manoa — Microbiology 140 (Spring 2005 and Fall 2005)
University of Hawaii-Manoa — Agouron Summer Course in Microbial Oceanography
Teaching outreach
College for Kids Limnology Instructor (2011)
Grandparent’s University Limnology Instructor (2010, 2011)
Student Mentoring
Past
1) Sam Matthews (2008-2009): Microbes in and under ice
2) Alex Binder (2008-2009): Microbes in and under ice
3) Brint Schwerbel (2009): Cyanobacterial culture experiments
4) Katie Waugh (2009): Cyanobacterial culture experiments
5) Rebecca Gilsdorf (2009-2010): Cyanobacterial community analysis
6) Samantha Reuter (2010): In situ N2 fixation
7) Matthew Marcott (2010): Cyanotoxins, in situ N2 fixation
Professional societies
American Society for Microbiology (ASM)
American Society of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO)
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
Ecological Society of America (ESA)
Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network (GLEON)
International Society for Microbial Ecology (ISME)
Long Term Ecological Research (LTER)
North American Lake Management Society (NALMS)
Peer reviewer for
Journal of Applied Microbiology
Letters in Applied Microbiology
FEMS Microbiology Ecology
PLOS ONE
Environmental Science and Research Pollution
Awards
Gordon Research Conference (2013), Mycotoxins and Phycotoxins Conference, Stonehill
College, MA: Hot Topic Award and Best Poster Presentation
University of Wisconsin–Madison — Biotechnology Training Program trainee (National
Institutes of Health fellowship; $156,000)
University of Wisconsin-Madison — Becker Travel Grants ($1500)
University of Wisconsin-Madison — Anna Grant Birge Award ($1,550)
University of Hawaii — Student Travel Award for Research (STAR; $1,500)
University of Iowa — Howard Hughes Fellow ($3,600)
Marian College — Presidential Scholar ($20,000)
Marian College — Recipient of Dale R. Michels Memorial Scholarship ($6,000)
Marian College — National Scholastic Honor Society (Delta Epsilon Sigma), Summa cum
laude
Select posters and presentations
1.
American Society for Microbiology (ASM), Madison, WI (2005): Beach sand as a
reservoir for Escherichia coli
2.
University of Hawaii-Manoa, Microbial Grand Rounds (2006): Phosphonate metabolism
and methane production in surface seawater
3.
University of Hawaii-Manoa, STAR Symposium (2006): Phosphonate metabolism and
methane production in surface seawater
4.
American Society of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO), Ocean Sciences Meeting,
Orlando, FL (2008): Aerobic production of methane in the sea
5.
Biogeochemistry Environmental Research Initiative (BERI), W. K. Kellogg Biological
Station, Hickory Corners, MI (2009): Growth of cyanobacteria on synthetic herbicides as
a phosphorus source
6.
Raper Symposium, Madison, WI (2009): Cyanobacteria: four season microbes for one
season graduate students
7.
Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network (GLEON 9), Boulder Junction, WI (2009):
Monitoring toxic cyanobacteria: from microcosms to buoycosms and modelcosms
8.
American Society of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO), Santa Fe, NM (2010):
Monitoring toxic cyanobacteria: Integrating diverse disciplines for the development of
predictive water quality tools
9.
Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network (GLEON 11), Nanjing, China (2010):
Nitrogen fixation structures cyanobacterial community composition in Lake Mendota, WI,
USA
10.
Ecological Society of America (ESA), Austin, TX (2011): Identifying linkages between
the nitrogen cycle, cyanobacterial community structure, and cyanotoxin production in a
eutrophic lake
11.
Wisconsin Ecology 15th Annual Spring Symposium, Madison, WI (2012): Nitrogen
drives harmful algal blooms in eutrophic lakes
12.
International Society for Microbial Ecology (ISME 14), Copenhagen, Denmark (2012):
The role of nitrogen limitation in shaping toxic cyanobacterial blooms in a temperate,
eutrophic lake
13.
Long Term Ecological Research All Scientists Meeting (LTER-ASM), Estes Park, CO
(2012): Long term assessment of nitrogen cycling and harmful algal blooms in Lake
Mendota, WI, USA
14.
North American Lake Management Society (NALMS), Madison, WI (2012): Long term
assessment of nitrogen cycling and harmful algal blooms in Lake Mendota, WI, USA
15.
Gordon Research Conference (GRC), Mycotoxins and Phycotoxins, Stonehill College,
MA (2013): Predicting toxic lakes: toward a more mechanistic understanding of
cyanobacterial population dynamics and microcystin production
16.
Oceans and Human Health Grantee Conference, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La
Jolla, CA (2014): Eliciting the ecological mechanism for microcystin production in
eutrophic lakes
17.
Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network (GLEON 16), Orford, Canada (2014):
Eliciting the factors that control microcystin production in Microcystis aeruginosa
Peer reviewed publications
1.
Beversdorf, L.J., S. Chaston, T.R. Miller, and T.D. McMahon. Microcystin gene
abundance is not a good indicator of microcystin concentrations in lakes. Accepted to
PLOS ONE.
2.
Fey, S. B, Mertens, A. N. Mertens, Beversdorf, L. J., McMahon, K. D., Cottingham, K.
L. 2014. Recognizing cross-ecosystem responses to changing temperatures: soil warming
impacts pelagic food webs. Accepted to Oikos.
3.
Miller, T. R., L. J. Beversdorf, S. D. Chaston, and T. D. McMahon. 2013. Temporal and
spatial variability in cyanobacterial community composition across a eutrophic watershed
reveals Aphanizomenon-Microcystis interactions. PLOS ONE 8: e74933.
4.
Beversdorf, L. J., T. R. Miller, and K. D. McMahon. 2012. The role of nitrogen fixation
in cyanobacterial bloom toxicity in a temperate, eutrophic lake. PLOS ONE 8(2): e56103.
5.
Kara, E. L., P. Hanson, D. Hamilton, M. Hipsey, K. McMahon, J. Read, L. Winslow, J.
Dedrick, K. Rose, C. Carey, S. Bertilsson, D. d. M. Marques, L. Beversdorf, T. Miller, C.
Wu, Y.F. Hsieh, E. Gaiser, and T. Kratz. 2012. Time-scale dependence in numerical
simulations: Assessment of physical, chemical, and biological predictions in a stratified
lake at temporal from scales of hours to months. Environmental Modelling and Software.
doi: 10.1016/j.envsoft.2012.02.014.
6.
Beversdorf, L. J., A. E. White, K. M. Björkman, R. L. Letelier, and D. M. Karl. 2010.
Phosphonate metabolism by Trichodesmium IMS101 and the production of greenhouse
gases. Limnology and Oceanography 55(4):1768-1778.
7.
White, A. E., D. M. Karl, K. M. Björkman, L. J. Beversdorf, and R. L. Letelier. 2010.
Production of organic matter by Trichodesmium IMS101 as a function of phosphorus
source. Limnology and Oceanography 55(4):1755-1767.
8.
Karl, D. M., L. J. Beversdorf, K. M. Björkman, M. J. Church, A. Martinez, and E. F.
Delong. 2008. Aerobic production of methane in the sea. Nature Geosciences 1: 473–478.
9.
Beversdorf, L. J., S. M. Bornstein-Forst and S. L. McLellan. 2007. The potential for
beach sand to serve as a reservoir for Escherichia coli and the physical influences on cell
die—off. Journal of Applied Microbiology 102(5), 1372–1381.
Manuscripts in preparation or in review
1.
Beversdorf, L. J., T. R. Miller, and K. D. McMahon. Eliciting the factors that control
microcystin production in Microcystis aeruginosa. In review.
2.
Beversdorf, L. J., T. R. Miller, and T. D. McMahon. Vertical heterogeneity of
cyanobacterial taxa and cyanotoxins in the upper mixed layer of an eutrophic lake. In
preparation.
3.
Crawford, J, S. M. Powers, and L. J. Beversdorf. Coupled cycling of biologically
essential elements and their neighbors in the periodic table: examples with respect to
human-altered biogeochemical cycles. In preparation.