Benjamin Twining, PhD

Education

Ph.D., Coastal Oceanography (2003), Stony Brook University

A.B., Environmental Science and Public Policy (1997), Harvard University

Research Interests

I am interested in the interactions between metals and organisms in marine and aquatic environments. Phytoplankton, in particular, play important roles in the global carbon cycle and form the base of most aquatic food webs. In many systems, the physiology and ecology of these organisms are influenced by the concentration, chemical speciation, and resulting bioavailability of trace metals such as iron, cobalt, manganese, zinc, nickel, and copper. Conversely, biological processes such as cellular uptake and regeneration, as well as the production of organic ligands, influence the geochemistry and fate of metals in these systems. We utilize state-of-the-art analytical tools such as synchrotron x-ray fluorescence microscopy, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and voltammetry to address questions of metal speciation, bioavailability, accumulation, trophic transfer, recycling and biogeochemistry in varied aquatic and marine systems.