Kacie is deeply interested in what happens at the intersection of microbial ecology and data science, and enjoys using computational tools to better understand the intricacies of microbes sustaining our natural world. Here, she studies SAR86 bacteria, which are some of the most abundant inhabitants of the global surface ocean that play important roles in global biogeochemical cycles. Like many aquatic microbial groups, SAR86 is difficult to isolate in the lab, which has challenged efforts to build a quantitative understanding of how they contribute to carbon and nutrient cycles. Using high-throughput dilution-to-extinction culturing and fluorescence in situ hybridization, Kacie hopes to isolate bacteria from this group, generate physiological baseline data, and characterize their ecology and evolution. Previously, she completed my Master’s degree on the main UH campus studying elements of microbiomes relating to network stability and forest restoration. Born and raised in Kaimuki, she is excited to work on Moku o Lo‘e and contribute to the understanding of marine microbes.