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Home › Blog › Introducing New Members of the JGI User Executive Committee

January 13, 2022

Introducing New Members of the JGI User Executive Committee


Roland Hatzenpichler, Montana State University

Roland Hatzenpichler,
Montana State University

Teresa Pawlowska, Cornell University

Teresa Pawlowska,
Cornell University

Jana U’Ren, University of Arizona

Jana U’Ren,
University of Arizona

The JGI welcomes three new members to the JGI User Executive Committee (UEC) – Roland Hatzenpichler of Montana State University, Teresa Pawlowska of Cornell University, and Jana U’Ren (pronounced “you-wren”) of the University of Arizona! They join nine other JGI users already serving on the UEC – go here to view the full roster of members.

Each of the researchers had particular reasons for wanting to serve on the UEC. Hatzenpichler, who studies sediment-dwelling archaea, expressed his interest in giving a voice to JGI users who feel that certain data sharing policies fail to represent the needs of large parts of the user community. “Large sections of the community are either unaware that [public but use-restricted] exist on [the JGI data portal] IMG or how to deal with situations in which they inadvertently analyzed use-restricted data without contacting the lab that generated that data,” he said in his candidate statement. “I want to help JGI find a solution to this problem.” He also wants to assist JGI in extending its activity-based cell sorting pipelines to further the link between cellular phenotypes and genotypes.

Pawlowska, who studies fungal-bacterial symbiotic systems, noted that she would like to help advance JGI efforts aimed at “understanding complex communities and symbioses relevant to the DOI mission.” Additionally, she noted, “I would also like to offer my insights in promoting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in STEM disciplines to address JGI research priorities.”

U’Ren, who studies ecological and evolutionary factors shaping the assembly of fungal endophytes across land plants and lichens, mentioned her interest in guiding JGI policies and practices “that will best serve JGI users and promote equitable and high-quality scientific research.” In particular, she added, “I am interested in interacting with the user community and communicating their suggestions for technical capabilities and services to JGI.”

The UEC represents the JGI user community and is responsible for providing input and advice on JGI policies and practices that affect users and their access to technical capabilities JGI offers, as well as proposal review procedures and the organization of the JGI Annual Genomics of Energy & Meeting. Any investigator who has been an active user of the JGI at any time in the past two fiscal years is eligible for election to the UEC. Members serve three-year terms and can serve no more than two consecutive terms.

In late 2021, the JGI launched a solicitation for nominations for three additional positions on the UEC. Thirty-four JGI users were nominated, representing a breadth of institutions, research topics and career stages. The election period concluded on December 23, 2021.

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The U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, a DOE Office of Science User Facility at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, is committed to advancing genomics in support of DOE missions related to clean energy generation and environmental characterization and cleanup. JGI provides integrated high-throughput sequencing and computational analysis that enable systems-based scientific approaches to these challenges. Follow @jgi on Twitter.

DOE’s Office of Science is the largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit science.energy.gov.

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