#WSGCStudentSpotlight

Lucas Bauer
Sophomore
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Major: Microbiology
Minor: Biochemistry

Congratulations to this week’s #WSGCStudentSpotlight, Lucas Bauer! Lucas is the recipient of an Undergraduate Scholarship award. He studies microbiology and biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and is an undergraduate researcher at the Gilroy Lab.

In looking for a way to combine his passion for space and biology, Lucas was introduced to the Gilroy Lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Recently, this astrobotany-focused laboratory has been studying the stressful effects that spaceflight has on plant growth, in order to gain a better understanding of how plants grow in space. It was with the Gilroy Lab that Lucas planned his undergraduate research project, focusing on the impact that a specific protein-coding gene in Arabidopsis thaliana has on plant viability in space. 

By studying the fundamental mechanisms needed to create plants that thrive in space, Lucas hopes that his research will create opportunities for others to further exploration into growing plants in space, hopefully aiding in the technology that will one day support long-term life in space. Lucas hopes his time at Gilroy will allow him to work with fellow students to further the research being done, bring awareness to the field of astrobotany, and foster a passion for space and research in the budding scientists of the next generation.

Congratulations Lucas, and best of luck to you in your future!