Welcome to Willamette

For as long as he can remember, Lucas Nebert ’08 has been asking, “Why?”

The curiosity gene came from his parents, both biology academics — his dad a geneticist and toxicologist, and his mom a molecular biologist and cancer researcher. They always encouraged him to ask questions when he was young, and they made sure he knew how to find the answers.

As he graduates this spring with a double major in chemistry and biology, Nebert will continue asking, “Why?” This time, he’ll travel to the Netherlands to do it. He has been honored with a Fulbright Grant for U.S. Students, which supports post-graduate research, creative projects or teaching in more than 150 countries each year. Nebert is one of 10 Willamette students and alumni to receive a Fulbright in the past five years.

Nebert will work with faculty at Wageningen University to research microbial ecology, specifically applied to the area of sustainable agriculture and soil biodiversity. The Netherlands is one of the world leaders in this type of research, which examines the relationships of microorganisms in the soil. Nebert has a particular interest in the way different farming practices affect the soil biodiversity, which may also affect the soil’s greenhouse gas emissions, such as nitrous oxide.

“Holland is asking important questions about what makes soil healthy,” Nebert says. “They’re making comparisons between soil in pristine areas and in unhealthy areas. They’re trying to find what organisms are present in healthy soil, and how these organisms may be used in creating and informing public policy.

“We eat plants, and those plants require certain microorganisms in the soil. But we basically know nothing about these organisms because they’re so small. We are just beginning to know the net effect of what they’re doing.”