LSU Assistant Professor Jennifer Brum Earns Simons Foundation Grant

LSU Assistant Professor Jennifer Brum is one of five in the nation who have earned this year’s Simons Foundation grant for her project, “Early Career Investigator in Marine Microbial Ecology and Evolution Award.” The Simons Foundation is a national organization dedicated to advancing the frontiers of research in mathematics and the basic sciences.  

“I am excited to be able to use this opportunity to help support more students who are learning about this field of study and starting their careers,” Brum said.  

Brum’s lab, housed in the Department of Oceanography & Coastal Sciences, provides cutting edge research on the ecology and roles of marine viruses, the most numerous biological entities in the ocean, especially in oxygen minimum zones and hydrothermal vents. With this $666,000 grant, she will be better able to deliver research and education through expanded lab capabilities. These new resources will enhance collaboration with peers, enable further data sharing, and help develop a more holistic view of the subject area.  

According to Brum, “Microbes rule the world. We don’t understand nearly enough about what they’re doing, and most of the microbes on the planet are not interacting with humans at all, but they are running our ecosystems. By exploring this topic, we will have a better understanding of the environmental dynamics and what roles they play in regulating our ecosystems and environment on Earth.”