Biographical Sketch of
Susan M. Pfiffner

Professional Preparations up

University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma, Natural Science, B.S. 1982
University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, Microbiology, M.S. 1985
Florida State University, Florida, Biological Sciences, Ph.D. 1991

Appointments up

2000-present, Research Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee
1994-1999, Research Associate, Center for Environmental Biotechnology, University of Tennessee
1993-1994, Post-doctoral Associate, Environmental Science Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
1992-1993, Post-doctoral Associate, University of Tennessee, Center for Environmental Biotechnology

Publications (25 as of May 2000) up

5. Takai, K, DP Moser, TC Onstott, N Spoelstra, SM Pfiffner, A Dohnalkova and JK Fredrickson. 2000. Alcaliphilus auruminutor gen. nov., sp. nov., an Extremely Alkaliphilic Bacterium Isolated from a Deep South African Gold Mine. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. in Press.
6. Pfiffner, SM, AV Palumbo, TJ Phelps, BL Kinsall, and PA Salpas. 1999. Influence of other contaminants on natural attenuation of chlorinated solvents. In: Natural Attenuation of Chlorinated Solvents, Petroleum Hydrocarbons, and Other Organic Compounds. (Eds., B.C. Alleman and A. Leeson). Battelle Press. pp.47-52.
7. Pfiffner, SM, CC Brandt, JC Schryver , AV Palumbo, and. JS Almeida. 1999. Using artificial neural networks to assess microbial communities. In: Proceedings of the 1998 National Conference on Environmental Remediation Science and Technology, (Eds. G.A Uzochukwu and G.B. Reddy). Battelle Press. pp. 205-211.
8. Stephen, JR, Y-J Chang, YD Gan, A Peacock, SM Pfiffner, MJ Barcelona, DC White, and SJ Macnaughton. 1998. Microbial characterization of PJ-4 fuel contaminated site using a combined lipid biomarker/PCR-DGGE based approach. Enivron. Microbiol. 1(3):231-241.

Synergistic Activities up

1. The PI was an integral member of an interdisciplinary team composed of academia, industry and national laboratory members involved with the In Situ Bioremediation Demonstration at the Savannah River Site. PI along with several other investigators developed and patented a non-polar gas phase phosphate addition for bioremediation. PHOSter technology has been licenced by 30 companies and used for cleanup in  9 states.
2. As a member of the Remediation Technology Development Forum, the PI provided innovative research and transferred technologies developed under DOE programs. The technologies were applied to three different types of bioremediation efforts for chlorinated solvent contamination at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.
3. As a Co-PI on an international, interdisciplinary NSF Life in Extreme Environments Project, the PI examined biogeochemcial processes from the ultradeep gold mines (2miles below the surface) in South Africa. The PI was one of the few women to have ever worked in the gold mines. The PI obtained samples, coordinated sample processing and shipped samples to over 15 collaborative labs and universities for continued characterization of enriched extremophiles.
4. Since 1998, served as a member of the Science Advisory Committee for the Integrated Petroleum Environmental Consortium (IPEC). The committee provides recommendations on proposals submitted by Oklahoma and Arkansas Universities. Proposals address ways to increase the competitiveness of the domestic petroleum industry through a reduction in the costs of compliance with U.S. environmental regulations.
5. The PI along with several other women organize a biannual hands-on science workshop to mentor 12-13 year old girls. During the SHared ADventures in Engineering and Science (SHADES) workshop, provide girls a role model, engages the girls with fun activities on biological science, and encourages them into careers in science.

Collaborators & Other Affiliations up

(i) PI-level Collaborators and Co-authors in past 2 years - Almeida., J., Univ. of Lisbon, Portugal; Balkwill, D.L., Florida State Univ.; Barcelona, M.J., Univ. of Mich.; Boone, D., Portland State Univ.; Brandt, C.C. Oak Ridge Nat’l Lab. (ORNL); Brockman, F., Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL); Carmichael, L., North Carolina A&T; Chapatwala, K., Selma Univ.; Colwell, F., INEEL; Davis, J., DOW Chem. Co.; DeFlaun, M., Envirogen Inc.; Ellis, D.E., Dupont; Farmington, S., Appl. Res. Assoc., Inc.; Franz, T., Franz and Assoc.; Fredrickson, J.K., PNNL; Gannon, D.J., Zeneca Corp.; Ghiorse, W.C., Cornell Univ.; Harkness, M., GE Corporate R&D Center; Hazen, T.C., Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Kieft, T., New Mexico Tech.; Klecka, G., DOW Chem. Co.; Kotelnikova, S., Univ. of Göteborg, Sweden; Lee, M., Terra Systems Inc.; Lightner, A., Tyndall Air Force Base; Maiers, D., Idaho National Engineering Laboratory; Marsh, T.L., Univ. of Mich.; Mikula, C. Dover Air Force Base; Morgan, P., ICI Technology; Murphy, E., PNNL; Murray, C.J., PNNL; Onstott, T.C., Princeton Univ.; Palumbo, A.V., ORNL; Pedersen, K., Univ. of Göteborg, Sweden; Phelps, T.J., ORNL; Pratt, L., Indiana Univ.; Reysenbach, A.-L., Portland State Univ.; Ringelberg, D.B., Waterway Exp. Res. Station; Salpas, P.A., S.A.I.C.; Sayler, G, UTK; Sayles, G., U.S. EPA-Cincinnati; Schryver, J., ORNL; Slater, G., Univ. of Toronto, Canada; Southam, G., Northern Arizona Univ.; White, D.C., UTK; Zhang, C., Univ. of Missouri; Zhou, J.-Z.,ORNL.

(ii). Graduate and Post Doctoral Advisors - McInerney, M., Univ. of Okla.; Balkwill, D.L., Florida State Univ.; White, D.C., UTK; Palumbo, A.V., ORNL

(iii). Thesis Advisor and Postgraduate-Scholar Sponsor – None