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James Bradley 

 

E-mail: jamesbra@usc.edu

Address: University of Southern California, Department of Earth Sciences

825 Bloom Walk, ACB 303

Los Angeles, California 90089-0740

STATEMENT OF RESEARCH

 

       I am interested in the interactions between microbial life and environments, including biogeochemical cycling, carbon and nutrient fluxes. My current research investigates the coupling of microbial life, organic matter and biogeochemical cycling in deep marine sediments. I am also actively researching how recent changes in the Earth's physical environment are affecting the delicate Polar microbial ecosystems. I am trained in physical geography, mathematical approaches to ecology, and analytical biogeochemistry/microbiology, and have become increasingly interested in ecosystem response to environmental change, geobiology, glaciology, and life in extreme environments. I developed the new biogeochemical numerical model SHIMMER (from scratch) to quantitatively investigate microbial community dynamics in extreme and sensitive terrestrial Polar ecosystems (focusing on Svalbard and Greenland), as well as their (past, present and future) role in global biogeochemical cycles and their response to climate change. I have integrated modelling with fieldwork in remote environments and laboratory analysis, for an entirely holistic approach whereby fieldwork informs model development, which in turn will guide and inform future studies that will provide new data and insights, which will inform further model development and so forth. Other areas of active research include snow as a microbial ecosystem and biochemical reactor, using present day environments (e.g. microbialites, carbonates) to inform our understanding of the geological past (geobiology), and extreme environments as an analogue for extra-terrestrial life (astrobiology). My approach to modelling can be considered the first step of an interdisciplinary, iterative approach towards coupled microbiogeochemical modelling of extreme (eg nutrient, temperature, light, pressure limited) environments, and I intend to adapt and develop this work accordingly for other diverse microbial ecosystems (hot springs, biofilms, microbial mats, marine sediments) to achieve my research goals.

EDUCATION

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University of Bristol, UK, Ph.D. in Physical Geography, 2016

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University of Bristol, UK,  1st Class BSc with Honours, 2011

 

Cambridge, UK, The Perse School, 2008

2010 - present

PROFESSIONAL ACADEMIC HISTORY

 

  • Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA  (2016-)

Centre for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations, NSF

 

  • PhD Student Researcher, University of Bristol, UK (2013-2016)

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

 

 

  1. Bradley J,Amend J, LaRowe D. (2018) Necromass as a limited source of energy for microorganisms in marine sediments. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences. 123. (LINK)

  2. Bradley J, Amend J, LaRowe D. (2018) Bioenergetic controls on microbial ecophysiology in marine sediments. Frontiers in Microbiology – Extreme Microbiology. (LINK)

  3. Bradley J, Daille L, Trivedi C, Bojanowski C, Stamps B, Stevenson B, Nunn H, Johnson H, Loyd S, Berelson W, Corsetti F, Spear J. (2017) Carbonate-Rich Dendrolitic Cones: Insights into a Modern Analogue for Incipient Microbialite Formation, Little Hot Creek, Long Valley Caldera, California. npj Biofilms and Microbiomes. (LINK)

  4. Stibal M, Bradley J, Box J (2017) Ecological modelling of the supraglacial ecosystem: a process-based perspective.Frontiers in Earth Science. (LINK)

  5. Bradley J, Anesio, A, Arndt S (2017) Microbial and biogeochemical dynamics in glacier forefields are sensitive to century-scale climate and anthropogenic change.  Frontiers in Earth Science - Biogeoscience. (LINK)

  6. Bradley J, Arndt S, Sabacka M, Benning L, Barker G, Blacker J, Yallop M, Wright K, Bellas C, Telling J, Tranter M, Anesio A (2016) Microbial dynamics in a High-Arctic glacier forefield: a combined field, laboratory, and modelling approach. Biogeosciences Discussions.  (LINK)

  7. Bradley J, Anesio A, Arndt S. (2016) Bridging the divide: A model-data approach to Polar & Alpine Microbiology. FEMS Microbiology Ecology.  (LINK)

  8. Pearce D, Irina A, Terauds A, Wilmotte A, Quesada A, Edwards A, Dommergue A, Sattler B, Adams B, Magalhães C, Wan Loy C, Yim M. Lau C, Cary C, Smith D, Wall D, Eguren G, Matcher G, Bradley J, Devera J, Elster J, Hughes K, Benning L, Gunde-Cimerman N, Convey P, Gyu Hong S, Pointing S, Pellizari V, Vincent W (2016) Aerobiology over Antarctica – a new initiative for atmospheric ecology. Frontiers in Microbiology. 7.  (LINK)

  9. Bradley J, Anesio A, Singarayer J, Heath M, Arndt S. (2015) SHIMMER (1.0): A novel mathematical model for microbial and biogeochemical dynamics in glacier forefield ecosystems. Geoscientific Model Development. 8, 3441-3470.  (LINK)

  10. Bradley J, Singarayer J, Anesio A. (2014) Microbial community dynamics in the forefield of glaciers. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 281: 20140882. (LINK)

GRANTS, AWARDS AND FELLOWSHIPS

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  • Deep Carbon Observatory, DLMV Postdoctoral Fellowship (2018-)

Modelling the role of dormancy and maintenance of microorganisms on carbon transformations in marine sediments.

  • Antarctic Service Medal, United States Congress (2018)

  • University of Southern California, Postdoctoral Scholar Training & Travel Award (2017)

International workshop on Marine Geomicrobiology, 2017, Sandbjerg, Denmark.

  • Fellowship, Centre for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations, NSF  (2016-)

Develop a 1D biogeochemical-evolutionary model for deep marine sediments

  • Co-Investigator, BIOAIR (2016)

Antarctic Circumnavigation Expedition (ACE), NERC. Principal Investigator: David Pearce, Northumbria University.

  • ABTA Doctoral Research Award: Honourable Mention  (2016)

  • European Association of Geochemistry student sponsorship award (2016)

European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2016, Vienna, Austria

  • EGU Early Career Scientist's Travel Award (ECSTA)     (2016)

European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2016, Vienna, Austria

  • Gino Watkins Memorial Fund, Scott Polar Research Institute (2015)

Lead investigator on small grant to support winter/spring fieldwork in Svalbard.

  • Alumni Foundation travel grant (University of Bristol)  (2015)

Polar & Alpine Microbiology Conference 2015, České Budějovice, Czech Republic

  • Agouron Institute (2015)

International Geobiology Course, University of Southern California

  • Bill Wallace Grant, John Muir Trust  (2014)

Lead investigator on small grant to support fieldwork in Greenland

  • British Council: Researcher Links (2014)

Marine Science and Technology, Santa Marta, Colombia

  • NERC PhD Studentship (2013-2016)

  • Letter of recognition for outstanding academic success from the Dean of the Faculty of Sciences, University of Bristol.(2011)

  • Nominated to receive the Royal Geographical Society “Climate Change Research Group” dissertation award (2011)

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FIELD EXPERIENCE

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  • McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. (2018)

Sea-ice-based fieldwork investigating biological adaptation of Polar organisms to environmental change.

  • Long Valley Caldera, USA (2015)

Fieldwork in California and Nevada on modern (hot springs, lakes) and ancient (outcrops) settings. Carbonate, organic, and sulphur geochemistry, genomics (16S rRNA and metagenomics), petrography, microscopy, isotope geochemistry.

  • Svalbard (2015)

SNOW WAKE winter/spring sampling campaign. Geochemical and biological sampling of snow, lake ice, cryoconite, soils.

  • Russel Glacier, Greenland (2014)

Arctic soils summer sampling campaign. Geochemical and biological sampling of soils and cryoconite

  • Svalbard (2013)

Arctic soils summer sampling campaign. Geochemical and biological sampling of soils and cryoconite

  • Haut d’Arolla, Switzerland.  (2010)

Field training in geochemical, biological and hydrological analyses.

2010 - present

TEACHING AND MENTORING

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  • Lecturing (2015) 

Ice & Oceans unit, 3rd year undergraduate level, University of Bristol.

  • Tutor / discussion group leader (2013-2016)

Big Ideas in Science, 1st year undergraduate level, University of Bristol.

  • Undergraduate student research thesis supervision (2014-2016)

Advisory role in project and laboratory work (2 students), University of Bristol.

  • Mentor for students with disabilities, note taker (2013-2016)

Working with disabled students for one to one support meetings, and note taking. 5 students.

  • Demonstrator (2012-2016)

Units: Environmental Change 3 (ocean temperatures and past warm climates), Physical Geography 1 (biogeochemical modelling), Cryosphere 1 (mass balance of two Arctic glaciers), University of Bristol.

  • Field demonstrator (2014)

Research Methods 2 (water chemistry), University of Bristol.

  • Private tutoring (GCSE level) (2012-2013)

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PROFESSIONAL SERVICE

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  • Reviewer for internationally peer-reviewed journals. 2017-present

ISME Journal, Geobiology, Geoderma

  • Reviewer for NSF Research Proposals. 2017-present

  • European Association of Geochemistry Communications Committee. 2017-present

  • Chair of Bristol Glaciology Centre weekly seminar seminars (2014-2016)

  • Co-organiser of IGS BBM 2014 & UK Antarctic Research Symposium conferences, University of Bristol (2014)

SELECTED COURSES, TRAINING AND WORKSHOPS

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  • NSF Advanced Training Program in Antarctica. (2018)

Biological Adaptations to Environmental Change, McMurdo Station, Antarctica.

  • International Geobiology Course, University of Southern California. (2015)

Intensive 5 week course combining lectures, modelling, fieldwork and laboratory analyses (University of Southern California and California State University, Fullerton). Carbonate, organic, and sulphur geochemistry, genomics (16S rRNA and metagenomics), petrography, microscopy, isotope geochemistry.

  • Nonlinear Dynamics: Mathematical and Computational Approaches (2015)

Online Complexity Explorer course, Santa Fe Institute and Portland State University.

  • Earth System Modelling with GENIE (2015)

University of Bristol, UK.

  • Freshwater Taxonomic and Field Technique Course (2015)

Natural History Museum, UK

  • Introduction to Mathematical Modelling for the Environmental and Biological Sciences (2015)

University of Stirling, UK.

  • Marine Science and Technology Researcher Links workshop, British Council (2014)

Santa Marta, Colombia.

  • Introduction to Ecological Modelling (2014)

UCL, UK

  • Building your own ODE ecological models in R (2014)

University of Strathclyde, UK.

  • Molecular Techniques for Taxonomy (2014)

Introduction to molecular ecology, laboratory training including DNA extraction, PCR and gene sequencing. Natural History Museum, UK.

  • Understanding Uncertainty in environmental modelling (2014)

London School of Economics, UK

INVITED TALKS

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  • Bradley, J. et al. Necromass as a source of energy for microorganisms in marine sediments. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, New Orleans, USA, December 2017.

  • Bradley, J. et al. Necromass as a limited source of energy for microorganisms in marine sediments. C-DEBI Annual Meeting, Marina, California, USA, November 2017.

  • Bradley, J. et al. Necromass as a limited source of energy for microorganisms in marine sediments. University of Bristol, Bristol, UK, September 2017.

  • Bradley, J. et al. Develop a 1D biogeochemical-evolutionary model for deep marine sediments. C-DEBI Annual Meeting, Marina, California, USA, October 2016.

  • Bradley, J. et al (2016) Modelling microbial processes during soil formation in a High-Arctic glacier forefield. Goldschmidt, Yokohama, Japan, June 2016.

  • Bradley, J. et al (2016) Characterisation of Arctic Soil Development Using the New Biogeochemical Model: SHIMMER. 22nd International Symposium on Polar Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, Republic of Korea, May 2016.

  • Bradley, J. et al (2014) Polar Ecosystems and Marine Implications. Marine Science and Technology, British Council Researcher Links Workshop, Santa Marta, Colombia, November 2014.

ORAL* AND POSTER˚ CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

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  • ˚Bradley, J. et al. Necromass as a source of energy for microorganisms in marine sediments. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, New Orleans, USA, December 2017.

  • *Bradley, J. et al. Necromass as a limited source of energy for microorganisms in marine sediments. C-DEBI Annual Meeting, Marina, California, USA, November 2017.

  • *Stibal M, Bradley, J. Box J. Ecological modelling of the Greenland ice sheet surface ecosystem. 7th International Conference on Polar and Alpine Microbiology, Nuuk, Greenland, September 2017.

  • ˚Bradley, J. et al. Necromass as a source of energy for microorganisms in marine sediments. International workshop on Marine Geomicrobiology – A Matter of Energy, Sandbjerg, Denmark, August 2017.

  • *Bradley, J. et al. Utilization of microbial necromass in marine sediments. 14th Annual Southern California Geobiology Symposium, Los Angeles, USA, April 2017.

  • ˚Magnabosco, C. Bradley, J. Onstott, T. Subsurface biological models. Third DCO International Science Meeting, St. Andrews, Scotland, March 2017.

  • Bradley, J. et al (2016) Modelling microbial processes during soil formation in a High-Arctic glacier forefield. Goldschmidt, Yokohama, Japan, June 2016.

  • Blacker, J. Bottrell, S. Anesio, A. Šabacká, M. Barker, G. Bradley, J. Tranter, M. Benning, L. (2016) Are high-Arctic Glacial Forefields CO2 Sinks or Sources? Goldschmidt, Yokohama, Japan, June 2016

  • Bradley, J. et al (2016) Characterisation of Arctic Soil Development Using the New Biogeochemical Model: SHIMMER. 22nd International Symposium on Polar Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, Republic of Korea, May 2016.

  • Bradley, J. et al (2016) Investigating the initial stages of soil formation in glacier forefields using the new biogeochemical model: SHIMMER. European Geosciences Union General Assembly, Vienna, Austria, April 2016.

  • Bradley, J. et al (2016) Vertical Microbial Community Variability Of Carbonate-based Cones May Provide Insight Into Ancient Conical Stromatolite Formation. European Geosciences Union General Assembly, Vienna, Austria, April 2016.

  • Bojanowski, C. Trivedi, C. Daille, L.  Bradley, J. Stamps, B. Nunn, H. Johnson, H. Stevenson, B. Berelson, W. Corsetti, F. Spear, J. (2015) Vertical Microbial Community Variability of Carbonate-based Cones may Provide Insight into Formation in the Rock Record. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Francisco, USA, December 2015.

  • Daille, L. Trivedi, C. Bojanowski, C. Bradley, J. Nunn, H. Stamps, B. Johnson, H. Stevenson, B. Berelson, W. Corsetti, F. Spear, J. (2015) Carbonate-rich Cones: A New Modern Analogue of Ancient Conical Stromatolite Formation? Geological Society of America, Baltimore, Maryland, USA, November 2015.

  • Bradley, J. et al (2015) Microbial community dynamics in the forefield of glaciers – a modelling perspective. UK Arctic Science Conference, Sheffield, September 2015.

  • Bradley, J. et al (2015) Microbial community dynamics in the forefield of glaciers – a modelling perspective. 6th International Conference on Polar and Alpine Microbiology, České Budějovice, Czech Republic, September 2015.

  • Bradley, J.  et al (2015) Microbial community dynamics in the forefield of glaciers – a modelling perspective. 6th International Conference on Polar and Alpine Microbiology, České Budějovice, Czech Republic, September 2015.

  • Bradley, J. et al (2014) Polar Ecosystems and Marine Implications. Marine Science and Technology, British Council Researcher Links Workshop, Santa Marta, Colombia, November 2014.

  • Bradley, J. et al (2014) Microbial community dynamics in the forefield of glaciers. International Glaciological Society British Branch Meeting, Bristol, September 2014.

  • Blacker, J. Anesio, A. Bradley, J. Barker, G. Tranter, M. Benning, L. (2014) How does Arctic soil form in response to Arctic deglaciation? Linking bulk and molecular scale mineralogical and geochemical processes. International Glaciological Society British Branch Meeting, Bristol, September 2014.

  • Anesio, A. Wright, K. Blacker, J. Bradley, J. Arndt, S. Barker, G. Yallop, M. Tranter, M. Benning, L. (2014) Microbial succession from ice to vegetated soils in response to glacial retreat in the Arctic. International Glaciological Society British Branch Meeting, Bristol, September 2014.

  • Bradley, J. et al (2014) Microbial community dynamics in the forefield of glaciers. UK Antarctic Research Symposium, Bristol, September 2014.

  • Anesio, A. Wright, K. Blacker, J. Bradley, J. Barker, G. Yallop, M. Tranter, M. Benning, L. (2014) Microbial succession from ice to vegetated soils in response to glacial retreat in the Arctic, Goldschmidt Conference 2014, Sacramento, USA, June 2014

  • Wright, K. Blacker, J. Bradley, J. Barker, G. Benning, L. Tranter, M, Yallop, M. Anesio, M. (2014) Microbial diversity moving from ice to vegetated soils in response to arctic deglaciation. 15th International Symposium on Microbial Ecology (ISME), Seoul, South Korea.

  • Bradley, J. et al (2014) Modelling microbial community development in deglaciated forefield soils. Natural Systems and Processes, Bristol, UK, March 2014

  • Bradley, J. et al (2014) Characterising the initial stages of soil formation in the High Arctic. Understanding Uncertainty in Environmental Modelling, CATS/LSE, January 2014.

  • Bradley, J. et al (2014) Characterising the initial stages of soil formation in the High Arctic. NERC GW4 & DTP Launch Event, Natural History Museum, London, January 2014.

  • Bradley, J. et al (2013) Characterising the initial stages of soil formation in the High Arctic. Life In The Cold, Leeds, UK, November 2013

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ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH

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  • International Polar Foundation. 2018

Design a flag for Antarctica

  • Antarctica Expedition: Student Questions & Answers

  • Life in Extremes (2015)

Exhibit at the Science Museum, London, UK, with the Royal Society.

  • Digital Explorer “Arctic Live” event (2015)

Direct classroom interaction (via Skype interviews) with schools worldwide from the UK Arctic Research Station, Svalbard.

  • Sircome collaboration (2015)

Photographs and motivational piece, integrating Arctic soils research.

  • Sutton Trust Summer School (2013-2014)

  • Bristol Ice Explorers (2014)

Room 13 Hareclive Academy for a polar science education and exploration day and ongoing art project with 8-11 year olds

  • Access To Bristol (2013)

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