Rate My Professor Kevin Sowers

Sowers' research encompasses the biology of methanogenic Archaea, including regulatory pathways of gene transcription, mechanisms of archaeal survival in extreme environments such as desiccation resistance relevant to exobiology, and methanogenic conversion of biomass in land-based aquaculture systems. His work also addresses anaerobic conversion of organic wastes to biomethane and biological in situ remediation of organochlorines, with a focus on microbial reductive dehalogenation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in contaminated sediments, kinetics of dehalogenation, and bioprocess scale-up of microorganisms from extreme environments. Key publications include "Mesocosm studies on the efficacy of bioamended activated carbon for treating PCB-impacted sediment" (Payne et al., Environmental Science & Technology, 2017), "A comparative evaluation of anaerobic dechlorination of PCB 118 and Aroclor 1254 in sediment microcosms from three PCB-impacted environments" (Kaya et al., Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2017), "Nitrogen and carbon balance in a novel near-zero water exchange saline recirculating aquaculture system" (Yogev et al., Aquaculture, 2016), "Characterization of a microbial consortium that converts mariculture fish waste to biomethane" (Quinn et al., Aquaculture, 2016), and "Kinetics and threshold level of 2,3,4,5-tetrachlorobiphenyl dechlorination by an organohalide respiring bacterium" (Lombard et al., Environmental Science & Technology, 2014). His contributions have advanced understanding of microbial processes for environmental remediation and sustainable aquaculture waste management.