Distinguished Faculty Lecture to examine ‘How Microorganisms Dictate Life on Earth’

George Bullerjahn, biological sciences, will deliver the second College of Arts & Sciences Distinguished Faculty Lecture of the 2003-04 academic year at 4 p.m. Thursday (March 18) in the Bowen-Thompson Student Union Theater. His talk, "What You Can't See Matters: How Microorganisms Dictate Life on Earth," examines important issues that shape our ecosystem and sustain life on our planet.

Microorganisms represent the largest biodiversity on Earth. Bacteria and Archaea are geochemical agents that help determine the flux of carbon, nitrogen and other crucial nutrients through the Earth's crust, oceans and atmosphere. Nevertheless, we generally overlook the crucial role they play in sustaining life. Drawing on his own work as well as that of colleagues and students, Bullerjahn will provide an overview of the central role of microbes in Earth’s history, as well as a discussion of important recent findings that advance our understanding of microbially driven nutrient bioavailability in aquatic systems.

Bullerjahn is well suited to address this topic. A specialist in molecular microbiology, he has published nearly 50 refereed articles, and his research has enjoyed continuous support from the National Science Foundation since 1989. Currently, his work examines adaptation of bacteria to environmental change as well as the structural requirements for electron transport in photosynthesis.

A member of the BGSU faculty since 1989, Bullerjahn has served as chair of the Department of Biological Sciences and a principal member of the Center for Photochemical Sciences. He has been recognized as the Outstanding Contributor to Graduate Education at BGSU (1991) and is a recipient of the College of Arts & Sciences Faculty Excellence Award and the Faculty Senate Chair Leadership Award.