I was born in Flint, MI and raised up in the Beecher community. As a growing scholar, I believed that I would end up in a science related career… even though I wasn’t sure what that would be exactly. Reflecting on my past, I realized there was always an inner scientist in me. You may find my interests and experiences very relatable… possibly speaking to the scientists in you! Various influences in my life enhanced my innate curiosity about nature. I had nature books available to me at home as a kid. I mostly liked looking at the pictures at first but over time I wanted to learn more about what I was seeing. My childhood home was also occasionally adorned with pets (domestic cats and dogs, but also more exotic ones like large snakes and rare fish species to name a few). So I had real live pets to interact with, but I also loved watching animated series like The Wild Thornberry’s and movies like Dr. Dolittle. I identified with the main characters whose gifts were used to improve circumstances for wild life. While these references were only somewhat based in reality, I now appreciate the imaginative-ness that actually helps push the boundaries of scientific research every day.
As I aged and started on my college preparatory track, I took advantage of a variety of science courses in high school. I distinctively remember sitting in my physics class one day longing to get outside because it was a beautiful day out and those conditions were often short-lived delicacies in Michigan. As I sat with my chin on my hands I asked my teacher in desperation, “Can we go outside and collect some data?” My classmates laughed and joked harmlessly at the genuine inquiry. While I was denied that opportunity, I was a proud advocate for our class trip to see Star Trek… adding a little spice to one of our physics topics. One class that impacted me more significantly was an international studies course where we learned about the environment and culture of Costa Rica and then visited for one week. The interdisciplinary nature of the class helped me to make more connections between society and the environment. The trip to Costa Rica exposed me to so many new environments, organisms, and customs that left a lasting impression I will never forget! This was a glimpse at how much more there was in the world to discover and learn about!
Although my scientific interests were extremely broad at their inception, I became much more refined during my undergraduate college years. Biology related courses were my favorite! During one of those classes I learned about an opportunity to get involved with undergrad research for the summer. From that point on just imagine… a cat chasing a laser pointer (metaphorically me at this point). I loved to go field sampling and see first-hand how microbes were involved with ecological concepts (See research page for specifics). I even recorded a few… humble… nature show episodes. I was hooked on microbes and continued to conduct research for the remainder of my undergrad. My undergraduate research involving an invasive plant species introduced me to environmental pest management strategies. Continuing on that journey I further developed my research skills in Microbiology as a graduate student. I learned that these techniques are important in understanding organismal interactions (insect-plant, insect-insect, etc.) that inform various crop sustainability efforts in agriculture systems. As my research interest have become more refined, other important skills such as teaching have also evolved.
Learning more about my inner teacher has been an amazing journey as well (See teaching page for more). I have also taken advantage of various opportunities to use creative methods to educate (See my community page). Along the way I’ve learned more about my gifts and where I can contribute to the world. I have an undying concern for the environment, an eagerness to make learning fun, and a need to explore natural microbial mysteries to share with other people. My field of Microbiology is often referred to as a ‘hidden unseen world’ and my hope is to continue to shed light on the important roles of microbes in environmental networks.
Becoming Dr. Nicole Lynn-Bell 