Since May 2012, Rocha has been a participant in the ORNL Postdoctoral Research Associates Program, administered by ORAU through the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education contract with the U.S. Department of Energy. The program advances scientific and technical training for doctorate-level scientists and engineers in disciplines of critical national need, like neutron science, high-performance computing, and biological systems.
“As part of my postdoctoral research, I am working on a collaborative project, ENIGMA [Ecosystems and Networks Integrated with Genes and Molecular Assemblies], to determine subsurface keystone bacteria species differences in gradients of pH, nitrate, uranium, and conductivity to enable modeling of microbial community resiliency,” said Rocha.