About Nicole:
I grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii then moved to Tucson, AZ. I got my B.S. in microbiology and B.S. in biochemistry from the College of Agriculture at the University of Arizona. Starting in high school and through my undergraduate years I studied the heat shock response of plants and cyanobacteria. I received my Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin, Madison where I characterized protein: protein interactions and electron transfer involved in vitamin B12 synthesis in bacteria and archaea. I then moved to Illinois, where at the the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, I studied the electron transport system and genetics of methane-producing archaea. I came to the University of Nebraska in 2010 where my lab continues to study metabolism and electron transport in anaerobic microbes. We are using this knowledge to control growth, metabolism, and to synthesize high-value bioproducts from renewable carbon sources.
What is your position at the University of Nebraska?
Associate professor of biochemistry
What drew you to the University of Nebraska?
Great community, collaborative research environment, tasty beef.
What aspect of working in an educational setting do you enjoy the most?
I love encouraging students to ask big questions, to think creatively and to train them to do interdisciplinary science. It is so rewarding to get to the point where they see the fruits of their hard work and can appreciate the impact their skills could have on society.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
The smartest thing I have ever done is to marry my husband, Kevin. Everything is easier because of his support and encouragement.
What is something that most people don't know about you?
Nothing, really. My life is an open book!
What is your life like outside of work?
Kevin and I have two kids, Aidan and Tadhg, and a cat, Ralph. I love to cook, and we keep pretty busy doing normal family things.