Exploring the Limits of Life on Earth: Elizabeth Trembath-Reichert

Elizabeth Trembath-Reichert is a postdoctoral fellow in Marine Chemistry & Geochemistry at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Trembath-Reichert is conducting investigative research in the vastly unexplored deep biosphere -- the ecosystem that lies below the Earth’s surface -- to determine how life sustains itself in harsh conditions such as extreme pressure, temperature, or darkness. Specifically, her research on microbes could provide insight into how life evolved on Earth and where it could exist beyond our planet. The L’Oréal USA For Women in Science fellowship will provide her the resources to further her cutting-edge research while also serving as a critical bridge between her postdoctoral position and the work she plans to continue in the next stage of her career as an independent researcher at Arizona State University. She became interested in the natural world at a young age and is now helping to cultivate this passion in other scientists by serving as a mentor to undergraduate women and first-generation college students. Trembath-Reichert, 32, received a Ph.D. and M.S. in Geobiology at California Institute of Technology and a B.A. in Environmental Science and Physics at Barnard College. Originally from Durham, North Carolina, Trembath-Reichert currently lives in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, and enjoys gardening, cooking, and spending time on the beaches of Cape Cod.