Research Overview

We conduct experiments to unravel the fundamental microbiological and environmental (physicochemical) controls that drive Earth’s biogeochemical cycles. Much of our experimental infrastructure is custom designed/built to our applications.
On-going Projects
Bulk C and H isotopic fractionations during methane production by C-P lyase.
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Led by: L. Taenzer (M.S. student) & W. Leavitt (PI)
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Collaborators: P. Carini (ASU), A. Masterson (Northwestern)
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Funding: Dartmouth Vice Provost for Research SEED
Clumped isotope signals of methane from non-traditional sources.
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Led by: W. Leavitt (PI) & L. Taenzer (M.S. student)
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Collaborators: D. Rumble III (Carnegie), E. Young & J. Labidi (UCLA)
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Funding: Dartmouth Vice-provost for Research
The H-isotopic compositions of thermoacidophile GDGTs in response to energy and the environment.
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Led by: W. Leavitt (PI), Y. Weber & A. Pearson (Harvard)
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Collaborators: S. Kopf (CU Boulder), A. Zhou (Dartmouth), & F. Elling (Harvard)
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Funding: American Chemical Society
Thermoacidophile GDGT variance as a function of energy availability.
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Led by: A. Zhou (M.S. student), A. Cobban (Undergrad), W. Leavitt (PI)
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Collaborators: E. Boyd & M .Amenabar (Montana State Univ.), A. Pearson, F. Elling & Y. Weber (Harvard)
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Funding: American Chemical Society, Dartmouth College
Mechanisms of GDGT cyclization in Sulfolobus islandicus.
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Led by: B. Chiu (Research Asst./Lab Mgr.), A. Zhou (M.S. Student), W. Leavitt (PI)
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Collaborators: C. Zhang & R. Whitaker (Univ. Illinois), A. Pearson, F. Elling & Y. Weber (Harvard)
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Funding: Dartmouth College, NASA_NAI, DOE-JGI CSP
Present Funding
Burke Award




