Science

Twitter: @jessicamikenas

 

In the news:

 

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CV

 

 

Education

Graduate studies, M.S. (In progress)

New Mexico State University; Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences

Undergraduate studies (2010-2014)

B.A. in Biology and Geology, Oberlin College

  • Semester abroad at National University of Ireland, Galway: Spr. 2013

 

 

Work Experience

Research Assistant, New Mexico State University; Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences

August 2020 – Current.

Research Advisor: Dr. Nicole Pietrasiak.

  • Investigating the composition of the soil microbial community associated with biological soil crusts; and their relationship to rangeland plant establishment, growth, and response to ecological pressures.
  • Responsibilities include: soil sampling in locations around New Mexico; laboratory processing of samples using sterile procedures; DNA extraction and PCR on soil samples; participation in other lab-associated projects and studies.

 

Biological Science Technician, US Geological Survey

August 2015 (GG-3) – August 2020 (GS-5)

Supervisors: Dr. Michael Duniway and Dr. Erika Geiger

  • Field, office, and laboratory work with the USGS Southwest Biological Research Center, Canyonlands Research Station; on a wide variety of projects studying the ecology of plants, soils, and biological soil crusts on the Colorado Plateau.
  • Responsibilities included: precise identification of plants and biological soil crusts; accurate field data collection using a variety of methods; organization, preparation, and analysis of field/lab samples and data; soil pit excavation and profile descriptions across a wide range of the Colorado Plateau; lab based particle size analysis for soil samples; plant photosynthesis and water potential measurements; assistance planning and setting up multiple projects; training new employees in field and lab methods/protocols; data entry and verification using Microsoft Excel and DIMA (Microsoft Access).

 

Conservation and Land Management Intern, Chicago Botanical Garden

Placed with the USGS office in Henderson, Nevada

March – August, 2015
Supervisors: Dr. Lesley DeFalco and Ms. Sara Scoles-Sciulla

  • Field/greenhouse (90%) and office work (10%) with the US Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center on research projects concerning endangered plant species ecology, post-disturbance recovery and restoration monitoring, and ecotypic variation in native plants used for restoration.
  • Responsibilities included: plant identification using dichotomous keys; vegetation quantification and measurements; plant tissue collection and propagation in greenhouse; extended remote fieldwork in extreme conditions within the Mojave Desert; data entry, quality assessment, and preliminary analysis using Microsoft Excel.

 

Research Laboratory Assistant, Department of Plant Sciences, Cambridge University

June – November, 2014

Supervisor: Dr. Samuel Brockington

  • Molecular laboratory assistant in plant genetics, sequencing transcriptomes from a wide variety of plants within the family Caryophyllales to examine gene expression and investigate the relationships between molecular evolution and morphological adaptations.
  • Responsibilities included: field and greenhouse sample collection and preparation of vegetation source material for analysis; herbarium sample collection for archiving; RNA isolation and DNAse treatment of RNA extractions; RNA quantification, purification and preparation for sequencing; data entry using Microsoft Excel and Google Spreadsheets.

 

Undergraduate Research Assistant, Department of Biology, Oberlin College

June-August, 2013; January-May, 2014
Research advisor: Dr. Michael Moore

  • Molecular lab work reconstructing the phylogenies of gypsum endemic plants to investigate how unusual soils and climate change interact to influence plant diversification; specifically focused on studies of the family Caryophyllales and the genus
  • Responsibilities included: plant tissue preparation using liquid nitrogen with both a Geno/Grinder tissue homogenizer and by hand; DNA isolation using multiple published procedures; PCR; DNA quantification; DNA fragmentation; DNA barcoding and library building; intron sequence editing using Geneious sequence alignment software; data entry using Microsoft Excel.

 

 

Teaching and Outreach

  • Teaching Assistant at NMSU for Soil Microbiology Lab course (Spring 2021, in progress). Organized weekly lab preparation and instructed/guided students through a variety of lab procedures relation to soil microbiology methods. Also answered questions, hosted office hours, and arranged times to personally meet with students to ensure understanding of course materials.
  • NASA Plant the Moon Challenge team Leader (Spring 2021, in progress). Co-lead the NMSU team of graduate and undergraduate students in a sponsored international competition to grow crops in simulated lunar regolith. Assisted students in experimental design and organizing project setup, as well as co-running weekly meetings, scheduling daily greenhouse and laboratory monitoring, and addressing experimental challenges as they arose.
  • Moab Festival of Science (2016-2019). Helped lead guided hikes for the public within the Moab area, identifying native and nonnative plant species plus a variety of mosses/ lichens for hike participants. Answered questions as well as explained general ecosystem processes in approachable terminology.
  • Science for Guides (2019). A free annual event in Moab designed to spread scientific knowledge to our outdoor guiding community, so they in turn disseminate it to the tourists they interact with on a daily basis. Helped run a booth featuring biological soil crust identification to explain what healthy/disturbed crust can look like, its different species/communities, and best practices for protecting soil crusts while recreating in desert ecosystems.

 

 

Other Qualifications

Poster Presentations

  • Jessica Mikenas, James Hensleigh, Thomas Gushue, Tara Bishop, and Michael C. Duniway. 2019. Capturing long-term change through repeat photography: Historic photos from southeastern Utah. Presented at the Society for Range Management Annual Meeting, February 16-20, Denver, CO.
  • Mikenas, J., M. Croley, A. Goodman, A. Brunner, G. Stalberg, N. Douglas, H. Flores Olvera, H. Ochoterena, and M. J. Moore. 2014. Phylogeography of the gypsophilic clade of Acleisanthes (Nyctaginaceae). Presented at Botanical Society of America Ansnual Conference, July 28, Boise, ID.
  • Drake, E., E. Finch, J. Mikenas, and M. Moore. 2014. Determining the phylogeny of gypsum endemic species of the Chihuahuan Desert. Presented at the Oberlin Celebration for Undergraduate Research, September 25-26, Oberlin, OH.

 

Awards

  • Norma Bellows Ulery Outstanding Woman in Soil and Environmental Sciences Endowed Scholarship from NMSU (2021). Awarded to a graduate or undergraduate student in soil or environmental science demonstrating teamwork, service, enthusiasm, and collegiality.
  • USGS Star Award (2020). Awarded for 1) exemplary organization of project files, information, and data before leaving the USGS and 2) work done on the Repeat Photo Website, a USGS project interactive website where scientists and the public can view historic landscape photography alongside modern photo recreations with interpretive captions describing landscape change in southern Utah (website: https://www.usgs.gov/apps/sbsc-historical-photos/sites)
  • 2014 Young Botanist Award from the Botanical Society of America. Awarded to 25 graduating seniors across the country. BSA states: “The purpose of these awards is to offer individual recognition to outstanding graduating seniors in the plant sciences and to encourage their participation in the Botanical Society of America.”
  • The Hope Hibbard Memorial Scholarship In Biology from Oberlin College Biology Department (2014). Awarded to 10 students in 2014 to support student or faculty research.

 

Publications

  • Wang N., Y. Yang, M.J. Moore, S.F. Brockington, J.F. Walker, J.W. Brown, B. Liang, T. Feng, C. Edwards, Mikenas, J. Olivieri, V. Hutchison, A. Timoneda, T. Stoughton, R. Puente, L. Majure, Urs Eggli, and S.A. Smith. Evolution of Portulacineae marked by gene tree conflict and gene family expansion associated with adaptation to harsh environments. Molecular Biology and Evolution. May 2018 1;36(1):112-126.
  • Walker, J. F., Y. Yang, T. Feng, A. Timoneda, Mikenas, V. Hutchison, C. Edwards, N. Wang, S. Ahluwalia, J. Olivieri, N. Walker-Hale, L. Majure, R. Puente, G. Kadereit, M. Lauterbach, U. Eggli, H. Flores Olvera, H. Ochoterena Booth, S.F. Brockington, M.J. Moore, and S.A. Smith. From cacti to carnivores: Improved phylotranscriptomic sampling and hierarchical homology inference provide further insight into the evolution of Caryophyllales. The American Journal of Botany. March 2018 105(3):446-462.
  • Joseph F. Walker, Ya Yang, Michael J. Moore, Jessica Mikenas, Alfonso Timoneda, Samuel F. Brockington, Stephen A. Smith. Widespread paleopolyploidy, gene tree conflict, and recalcitrant relationships among the carnivorous Caryophyllales. The American Journal of Botany. June 2017 104:858-867.
  • Ya Yang, Michael Moore, Samuel Brockington, Jessica Mikenas, Julia Olivieri, Joseph Walker, Stephen Smith. Improved Transcriptome Sampling Pinpoints 26 Paleopolyploidy Events In Caryophyllales, Including Two Paleo-Allopolyploidy Events. New Phytologist. August 2017 217(2):855-870.

 

For references or questions regarding my scientific career please contact me at jdmikenas@gmail.com.