In 1997, Julie Olson earned her Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences and Engineering/Microbial Ecology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her interest in science started much, much earlier.

Q: When did you first know that you wanted to become a scientist?

Dr. Olson: " I used to go into my dad's lab on weekends when I was about six years old to help with his research. I was probably just getting in the way, but he was too nice to mention that fact! I wanted to be a vet, just like my dad. When I got a bit older, I finally decided that research was more to my liking. My undergraduate degree is in microbiology and it was only during my graduate studies that I got involved with environmental studies. My interest lies more in the microbial ecology of the marine environment than in the biomedical side of things, although the two mesh nicely where I work now, in the Division of Biomedical Marine Research at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution."

Q: Why is your work is an important thing for scientists to be doing?

Olson: "Most people are likely aware of the increasing problem of antibiotic resistant strains of microorganisms. As more organisms obtain resistances to the drugs currently used, the number and variety of treatments available are decreasing. This issue has forced scientists to explore novel environments in search of new treatments and antibiotics to effectively combat microbial infections. The marine environment has traditionally been a relatively untapped resource--especially deep-sea ecosystems because of their inaccessibility."

Q: What is your favorite thing that you get to do in the pursuit of your research?

Olson: "Exploring environments and ecosystems that have not been well studied is the most exciting aspect of my research. We likely culture microorganisms that have not been cultivated previously, providing insight into the immense microbial diversity that exists on this planet."

Q: What unique advantages do manned submersibles offer you as research tools?

Olson: "The submersibles allow us to reach depths that other scientists traditionally have not been able to access...so these environments have not been widely studied. We are also able to collect specific organisms carefully, minimizing the detrimental effect on the environment and allowing us to choose which organisms to study."