Biological Science Technician
Education
B.S., Animal Science, 1986, California Polytechnic University
M.S., Nutritional Physiology/Molecular Biology, 1993, Iowa State University
Biography
Renotta graduated from California Polytechnic University in 1986 with a B.S. in Animal Science. She then moved to Pullman, WA with her husband Terry Smith and obtained a job working full-time as a veterinary technician for 3 years. Her next move was to Ames, Iowa where she completed a Masters Degree in Nutritional Physiology/Molecular Biology at Iowa State University in 1993 focusing on sequencing mitochondrial DNA from 72 maternal lineages of dairy cattle to determine if certain mutations within the replication origin of mtDNA correlated with important milk production traits. She then worked at Purdue University with Dr. David Asai on dynein heavy chain gene transformations in Tetrahymena thermophila (pond water critter) utilizing biolistic bombardment techniques and a GFP tag to track gene incorporation within the critter. Currently she works with Dr. John Brooks in the Environmental Microbiology Lab at the USDA ARS MS State location utilizing molecular techniques to study soil health and environmental antibiotic resistance. Her hobbies include: playing the piano, crocheting and volunteering for the MSU Maroon Volunteer Center/Starkville community, listening to her son Nathan play in the "Famous Maroon Band", Jazz Band, and Wind Ensemble.
Publications
- (Clicking on the reprint icon will take you to the publication reprint.)
- Effects of cover crops and soil amendments on soil CO2 fluxes in Mississippi corn cropping system on upland soil -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Hu, J., Miles, D.M., Adeli, A., Brooks, J.P., Podrebarac, F.A., Smith, R.K., Lei, F., Li, X., Jenkins, J.N., Moorehead Ii, R.J. 2023. Effects of cover crops and soil amendments on soil CO2 fluxes in Mississippi corn cropping system on upland soil. Environments. 10(2):19. https://doi.org/10.3390/environments10020019.
- Co-existing anammox, ammonium-oxidizing, and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria in biocathode-biofilms enable energy-efficient nitrogen removal in bioelectrochemical desalination process -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Ghimire, U., Gude, V.G., Brooks, J.P., Smith, R.K., Deng, D.D. 2021. Co-existing anammox, ammonium-oxidizing, and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria in biocathode-biofilms enable energy-efficient nitrogen removal in bioelectrochemical desalination process. Chemical Engineering Journal. 9(14):4967-4979. https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.0c07883.
- Investigation of pathogenic bacterial transport by
waterbirds: A case study of flooded and non-flooded rice systems in Mississippi -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Firth, A.G., Baker, B.H., Brooks, J.P., Smith, R.K., Iglay, R.B., Davis, J.B. 2020. Investigation of pathogenic bacterial transport by waterbirds: A case study of flooded and non-flooded rice systems in Mississippi. Water. 12:1833. https://doi.org/10.3390/w12061833.
- Low external input sustainable agriculture: Winter flooding in rice fields increases bird use, fecal matter and soil health, reducing fertilizer requirements -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Firth, A.G., Baker, B., Brooks, J.P., Smith, R.K., Iglay, R.B., Davis, B.J. 2020. Low external input sustainable agriculture: Winter flooding in rice fields increases bird use, fecal matter and soil health, reducing fertilizer requirements. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment. 300. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2020.106962.
- A preliminary investigation of Feral Hog (Sus scrofa) impacts on water quality -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Brooks, J.P., Smith, R.K., Aldridge, C., Chaney, B., Omer, A., Dentinger, J., Street, G.M., Baker, B.H. 2020. A preliminary investigation of Feral Hog (Sus scrofa) impacts on water quality. Journal of Environmental Quality. 49; 27-37. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.20036.
- Recovery of bacterial community structure in a chronosequence of reclaimed coal mined soil under two vegetative regimes -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Brooks, J.P., Adeli, A., Smith, R.K., McGrew, R., Read, J.J. 2019. Recovery of bacterial community structure in a chronosequence of reclaimed coal mined soil under two vegetative regimes. Journal of Environmental Quality. 48:1029-1037. https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq2018.09.0349.
- Soil microbiological impact of cover crop and fall-applied poultry litter in subsurface bands -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
Brooks, J.P., Tewolde, H., Adeli, A., Shanke, M.W., Way, T.R., Smith, R.K., Pepper, I.L. 2018. Soil microbiological impact of cover crop and fall-applied poultry litter in subsurface bands. Journal of Environmental Quality. 47(3):427-435. doi:10.2134/jeq2017.09.0382.
- Proof of concept study of Anammox Biocathode for microbial desalination coupled with wastewater treatment-(Peer Reviewed Journal)
- Effects of low-grade weirs on soil microbial communities to advance agricultural best management practices for nitrate remediation-(Peer Reviewed Journal)