Gabriella Rizzo Email & Phone Number

Alachua, Florida, United States

Our core idea is very simple: drilling for water ice on Mars will be one of the first activities of any sustained operations on Mars. The ALFA experiment is a "bolt-on" instrument that filters and concentrates any genetic polymers found in the subterranean water ice. We want to send this instrument to Mars prior to the arrival of humans to prevent.

Amherst, Massachusetts, United States

• Meet with undergraduate students one-on-one to discuss career goals and review application materials
• Review and critique student resumes, cover letters, and provide recommendations
• Research employers and jobs using Handshake to determine accuracy and credibility for students
• Assist in curating a weekly newsletter highlighting career opportunities for students

• "Methanothermococcus sp. strain Ax23, a new thermophilic methanogen isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent and its implications for detecting extraterrestrial life"
• In this study, a new thermophilic methanogen, named strain Ax23, was isolated in 2023 from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent at Axial Seamount in the northeast Pacific Ocean. Ongoing work will characterize this organism.
• Recipient of Massachusetts Space Grant Summer 2022 Fellowship
• Mentor to an undergraduate student

• “High Quality Draft Genome Sequence of Paenibacillus sp. RC80, a Candidate for Biofuel Production”
• Assembled, annotated, and analyzed the genome of novel sp. RC80, a species of Paenibacillus, that was isolated anaerobically from unheated control soils collected, air dried, and archived in 1998 from the Harvard Forest.

• Demonstrated proficiency in bioinformatics software tools and databases (Unix, Cloud Computing, KBase, Unity), guiding students in their use for data analysis and research projects
• Conducted weekly ‘office hours’ sessions to clarify course content, answer questions, and reinforce learning objectives

• "Extremely Halophilic Archaea in Space Biotechnology: Identifying Potential Bio-products and Mapping Experimental Knowledge Gaps in Materials Production"
• This project compiled the full range of halophilic archaea applications/bio-products and respective species, identified those with potential application in space-exploration, and cross-compared with data from.

Lincoln, Nebraska, United States

• "Methanogenesis in Martian regolith simulant in the presence of the soil isolate Methanobacterium sp. ACI-7"
• Participant in the Nebraska Summer Research Program in the Bioenergy REU program and mentored by Dr. Karrie Weber
• Recipient of outstanding poster in the 2023 Bioenergy Systems REU award
• This project investigated the influence of a Martian regolith simulant (MMS-1) on the growth of Methanobacterium species ACI as part of an enrichment community with CaCO3 as the sole source of inorganic carbon. In.

Amherst, Massachusetts, United States

• Collaborate with the Microbiology Undergraduate Program Director to develop and implement outreach strategies, such as designing posters and creating promotional materials
• Manage online media outreach using Instagram to promote departmental activities resulting in increased event participation
• Developed and facilitated a landing page for “UMass Gives” – a university-wide two-fundraising campaign, assisting the department in accruing funds for student use

• Tutored six students per week from ages 5-13 in math, science, and history
• Held meetings with parents and guardians each grading period to discuss students’ progress and respond to concerns
• Created customized assignments, study guides and enrichment materials to boost student knowledge

Montclair, New Jersey, United States

• Lead a group of fourteen 9-13 year old campers daily and developed solutions for camper conflicts, as well as taught campers how to work together
• Organized, lead, and promoted interest in recreational activities including arts and crafts, sports, games, and individual hobbies
• Maintained accurate program records, including incident reports and daily logs

Bachelor'S Degree, Microbiology, General

Doctor Of Philosophy - Phd, Genetics, Cellular & Molecular Biology