USC.edu

Myrna Jacobson

Adjunct Professor of Biological Sciences
Email myrnaj@usc.edu Office AHF 139 Office Phone (213) 740-5145

Biography

Myrna Jacobson Meyers is a biogeochemist focusing on nutrient limitation and excess,using ectoenzyme markers. She is interested in cell communication and in addition, she develops, in conjunction with the John Hench School of Cinema arts, animation to describe fundamental biological principals, and teaches how to communicate science using learner centered learning techniques.

Education

  • Ph.D. Oceanography, SUNY Stony Brook, 1990
    • Senior Research Faculty , Georgia Institute of Technology, 1996-2002
    • Senior National Research Council Fellow- , NE RL Environmental Protection Agency, Athens GA, 1996-1999
    • Research Associate, Southeastern Research Program (SERP) , Florida International University, Miami, FL , 1993-1995
    • Postdoctoral Sea Grant Fellow , Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Division of Marine Biology and Fishes, Miami, FL, 1992-1993

  • Research, Teaching, Practice, and Clinical Appointments

    • Assistant Research Scientist , University of Southern California , 2000-

  • Summary Statement of Research Interests

    Interests include Marine biogeochemistry, plant-sediment interactions, nutrient cycling in coastal environments, wetland biogeochemistry enzymes as indicators of environmental response, cell communication

    Research Keywords

    Biogeochemistry, Environmental EctoEnzymes, Nutrient imbalances, Communicating science through words and cartoons

  • USC Funding

    • Presidents Fellowship. Development of Biomass measurement $1,000, 2009-2010
    • BIOLOGY . SOMA FELLOWSHIP $4,000, 2009-2010
    • James H. Zumberge Faculty Research and Innovation Grant . Wrigley Institute of Environmental Studies and DADA John Hench School of Cinema Arts Visualization Science A Catalina Island retre $14,000, 2008-2009
    • Provost Undergraduate Research Fellowship. Comparison of methods of measurement of biomass in mud and sand samples $2,500, 2008-2009
    • Presidents Fellowship for Research . Measurement of Nitrogen, phosphorus and Carbon sources in different environments to calibrate ectoenzyme activity with environmental change. $2,500, 2008-2009
    • SOARSophomore Opportunities for Academic Research . Seasonal ectoenzyme activity in Catalina mud and sand $1,000, 2007-2008
    • Rose Hill Undergraduate research Fellowship . Comparison of ectoenzyme activity from pristene sand and mud areas and correlations with phosphorous nutrient sources $1,500, 2007-2008

  • Conference Presentations

    • “Communicating Science:educating science researchers and science policy fellows” , Reflection on Pratices in Science Communication Poster, NSF, Invited, Lawrence Hall of Science , 2010-2011
    • “Phosphatase and aminopeptidase activity in basaltic rocks from Loihi Sea Mount ” , CDEBI Poster, NSF, Invited, South Carolina, 2010-2011
    • “Integration of Animation, Gaming, Virtual Reality, and WWWeb” , NAFKI Science VisualizationPoster, NSF, Invited, Irvine CA, 2009-2010
    • “Molecular Insights into Plant-Microbial Processes and Carbon Storage in Mangrove Ecosystems” , American Geophysical UnionPoster, none, San Francisco, California, 12/14/2009 – 12/16/2009

  • Journal Article

    • Ibekwe, A. M., Lyon, S. R., Leddy, M., Jacobson Meyers, M. E. (2007). Impact of Plant Density and Microbial Composition on Water Quality from a Free Water Surface Constructed Wetland. Environmental Microbiology. Vol. 9(4)
    • Hewson, I., Jacobson Meyers, M., Fuhrman, J. A. (2007). Sediment bacterial assemblage diversity and enzyme activity across the San Pedro Basin Southern California Borderlands. Environmental Microbiology. Vol. unknown, pp. 1462-2920..
    • cartoon, This is a cartoon called the Carbon Cycle a Leaf’s View made with DADA USC. can be found by googling “Ocean tube” and selecting “Mangrove”, 2006-2007
    • Animation, In conjunction with the John Hench School of Animation: Production, Scripting, Direction of film the Nitrogen Cascade Google Nitrogen Cascade on You Tube to view., 2009-2010
    • Video/ Animation, Supervision of the:
      SOMA FELLOWSHIP FOR VIDEO AND ANIMATION

      We have created a one-time fellowship to the John C. Hench Division of Animation & Digital Arts to create an artistic piece about the Marine Environmental Biology Department distributed and used in the Web design and focus on student recruitment. , 2009-2010

    • Train Congressional Interns, Developed interactive program for trainning of KNAUSS NOAA fellows in communication with non-science professionals. This program will be used starting February 2011 in Washington D.C., 2009-2010
    • Invited AnimationTemecula Valley Internationa Film and Music Festival September 2011 , 2011