Emily Fulk

Graduate Student, Rice University

I am a PhD student in the Systems, Synthetic and Physical Biology program at Rice University, where I develop synthetic biology tools to understand how microbes in soils and marine sediments interact with their environments. I’m jazzed about the potential for synthetic biology to provide new options for low-carbon energy, biodegradable materials, and sustainable agriculture as well as a better understanding of Earth processes. I hope to continue in these fields throughout my career.

While at Rice, I founded a graduate student group dedicated to promoting sustainable practices on campus and have been active in pursuing science communication and science policy experiences. Prior to graduate school, I graduated with a BS in chemical engineering from Northwestern and spent a year working at the National Renewable Energy Lab.

My non-science alter ego specializes in educational explosions at the Houston Museum of Natural Science (where I volunteer as a docent), climbing rocks, and eating lots of snacks.