Volume 27 · Number 3 · Spring 2010
Giving: Exploring Evolution Under the Ice
(Dawn Sumner/UC Davis)
As an associate professor of geology, Dawn Sumner’s research addresses the role and history of microbial processes in the early history of the Earth and other planets. When she received a Chancellor’s Fellow Award in 2004, she was able to fund experiments on living bacteria that would give her clues for how ancient bacteria behaved in forming rocks.
“Geologists can’t generally get funding for this type of research. The Chancellor’s Fellow Award allowed me to create a bridge between disciplines and gain critical experience in a new field that opened doors for other funding and research opportunities,” Sumner says.
One of those opportunities included a recent six-week field expedition funded by NASA on the shores of frozen Lake Joyce in Antarctica, exploring microbial mats that live under the ice. Sumner was looking for clues to the evolution of photosynthesis among these bacterial communities, which are similar to those found on Earth billions of years ago.
Since returning from Antarctica in December, Sumner has given talks to students and neighbors, sharing her experiences. “Gifts that support awards such as the Chancellor’s Fellows help create that ripple effect of knowledge and excitement.”