Conference: 2023 Archaea: Ecology, Metabolism and Molecular Biology GRC and GRS The Root and Branch of Discovery: Lessons on Life from the Archaea

This award will support the Gordon Research Seminar and Conference on “Archaea: Ecology, Metabolism, and Molecular Biology,” to be held July 24-30, 2023 at Mount Snow, VT. This meeting will be attended by undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, as well as senior researchers to discuss our understanding of all aspects of the structure, biochemistry, evolution, and microbial ecology of the archaea. Talks will be presented on topics such as newly discovered archaeal lineages, nitrogen and sulfur metabolism, geochemical cycles, and cell-virus interactions. In addition to formal talks presented by experienced researchers and trainees new to the field, engagement will be facilitated by six poster sessions to stimulate interactions between researchers. NSF support will be used to defray travel costs to allow attendance of participants from early stages of their careers, especially for members of groups underrepresented in this field. Archaea are the oldest group of organisms on earth, fundamental to evolution of all larger creatures, yet surprisingly little is known about them due to the extreme environments in which many of them live. This Gordon Conference and Seminar will allow discussion of the newest research on the structure and biochemistry of these tiny creatures, including understanding of their role in cycling nitrogen and other compounds in the environment, and their key roles in many ecosystems. The meeting will bring together seasoned investigators with early-career scientists in both formal talks and discussion sessions to encourage informal discussion and sharing of latest research results on the formation of structures in the cell, nitrogen and sulfur metabolism, and their interactions that maintain communities of microbes essential for stabilizing the environment. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.