The Organic Geochemistry Laboratory at UIC
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    • Paleokarsts and sediment fills
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    • Antarctica 2002: CORING THE LAKES
    • Antarctica 2005: VIDA 1
    • Antarctica 2010: VIDA 2
    • Deep under for gold and biomarkers
    • Abu Dhabi sabkha and lagoon
    • Laguna Mendosa, Guatemala
    • Yellowstone Microbial films
    • Geological features at UIC
    • Geobiology Course 2015 - Luoth Chou
    • Just clouds and haloes
    • Flying over Greenland
    • Field trip to Missouri 2017
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  • AN ORGANIC GEOCHEMISTRY PRIMER
    • A brief history of Organic Geochemistry
    • From bio- to geo-molecules
    • Diagenesis: Stereoisomerism
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Luoth Chou
OGL Lab Alumni
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
University of Illinois at Chicago

B.S. Microbiology, 2013,  University of Maryland at College Park
Ph.D. Earth and Environmental Sciences, 2019, University of Illinois at Chicago

Email: lchou5@uic.edu , lc1174@georgetown.edu
Personal Website: http://astrobio.lu
Picture
Microbiologist by training. Studying to become an organic geochemist. Aspiring to be an astrobiologist. 
My research focuses on characterizing the biogeochemistry of a cold, anoxic, and aphotic microbial ecosystem in Lake Vida’s ice-encapsulated brine (McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica). The current aim of my thesis is to integrate across three platforms: metabolomics, metagenomics, and geochemistry in this ecosystem in order to infer the survivability of microbial life in extremely cold habitats. 

Ultimately, this project will test the usefulness of metabolomics studies in cryogenic systems containing life on the brink of existence, and provide instrumental and methodological constraints for the investigation of organics on icy planetary bodies.

Aside from my academic life, I enjoy the outdoors, hiking, camping, kickboxing, and traveling. I am also a blogger, and an astronomy enthusiast. 

Awards & Fellowships

  • NASA Early Career Collaboration Award.
  • NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship (NESSF). 2016-9.
  • LAS PhD Travel Award. U of Illinois. Fall 2015.
  • On To the Future Travel Award. GSA. Fall 2015.
  • Bodmer Science International Travel Award. U of Illinois. Summer 2015.
  • Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award. NAGT. Spring 2015.
  • Chancellor’s Graduate Research Fellowship. U of Illinois. Summer 2015. 
  • Illinois Space Grant Consortium Graduate Research Fellowship. Fall 2014. 

Publications + Selected Conferences
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