Yesterday it was my birthday, so today I decided to announce that I will be joining the EEB department at @UCIBioSci as faculty in the Fall of 2021!!! So please let me know if you are interested in working with me in the COMMONS lab!

The acronym stands for "Community organization, microbial metabolism and the origins of natural selection". But the name stands for something bigger that represents the vision for my lab: A common space to work and create in community.

The culture and science of the lab are both based on the premise that we do not exist in isolation. We exist in relationship with each other and with our environment. Each of those relationships, in turn, is shaped by all the relationships that make our unique histories.

Recognizing this permeability and complex network means recognizing that we do not make science in a vacuum, that we make science in particular historical and political moments, from perspectives shaped by our own experiences and identities.

Similarly, the microbes we study do not live in isolation. We will investigate how these interactions shape evolution, and how, as organisms evolve and transform their environment, they transform each other and their interactions.

The COMMONS lab is thus an interdisciplinary and pluralist space, where diverse identities and perspectives are not only valued but are indispensable for the success of this learning community.

I recognize in this effort the structures and power dynamics already in place. This is the environment that already shapes our relationships, and it is through our actions that the COMMONS lab is committed to change unjust power structures. More details coming soon on my website