“Thanks to undergraduate research opportunities at the University of Minnesota, I actually started working professionally as a research scientist before I graduated from CBS,” Lesniewski says. “Dr. Brandy Toner gave a guest lecture in my biogeochemistry course, and I followed up with her about the possibility of working on one of her projects. I worked with her to study microbial communities in deep-sea hydrothermal vents, then took another research position at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor to work on a project involving metagenomics and metatranscriptomics of microbial communities in hydrothermal systems.”
It was that work, he says, which ultimately led him to graduate studies in Los Angeles. Struck by factors such as urban sprawl and limited fresh water availability, he was inspired to study the effect of microorganisms in water-efficient recirculating hydroponic systems. “My longer-term goals are to help implement this technology at larger scales, and address different geographical challenges, so that, even with limited water supplies, we can grow our food locally, organically and sustainably,” he says.
“Working with smart faculty and collaborators made me realize the importance of asking the right scientific questions,” Lesniewski says. “I really want to make a positive impact on food security. It’s not an easy task, but it will make for an incredibly exciting career.”