Dr. Kimberly Pause Tucker

My doctoral research focused on the conservation genetics of Florida manatees. I developed and screened microsatellite libraries to produce additional polymorphic loci specific to the Florida population. I examined the genetic diversity and population structure using these markers and compared the results to previous surveys of manatee diversity. I developed a panel of markers that is sufficient for individual identification, and nearly enough for genetic pedigree reconstruction.

My postdoctoral research in the laboratory of Mya Breitbart (USF) focuses on viral metagenomics. Our lab studies viruses in very diverse environments, from the Sargasso Sea to reclaimed water to acid mines. My main project is to purify and characterize the viral community in an acid mine drainage system. We collaborate with investigators at the University of California at Berkley and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

I am very interested in teaching and outreach. I worked as a biology teaching assistant at FSU, and as an instructor for FSU's Saturday-at-the-Sea program. Between college and graduate school, I worked as a park nature interpreter for Island Beach State Park (Seaside Park, NJ), where I led guided nature tours and answered beach-goer's questions about the park and organisms in it.
Together with my postdoctoral adviser and USF CMS's Education and Outreach Coordinator, I helped to write a grant, organize, and run a Marine Science and Technology workshop for Girl Scouts. For more information about this event: http://www.marine.usf.edu/news/girlscouts.shtml