Craig D. Phelps
Phone (848) 932-5713
Email
phelps@envsci.rutgers.edu
Ph.D.
Environmental Science, May 1998
Rutgers, The State University
of New Jersey, New Brunswick, N.J.
M.S.
Environmental Science, 1994
Rutgers, The State University
of New Jersey, New Brunswick, N.J.
B.S.
Animal Science, 1988
Cornell University, Ithaca,
N.Y.
Associate Teaching Professor,
Department of Environmental
Sciences, July 2017 – present.
Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J.
Assistant Teaching Professor,
Department of Environmental
Sciences, July 2015 – present.
Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J.
Instructor,
Department of Environmental Sciences,
Sep. 2007 – June 2015.
Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J.
Laboratory Researcher,
Department of Environmental Sciences,
Nov. 1999 – Aug. 2007.
Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J.
Postdoctoral Associate,
Biotech. Center for Agriculture and the Environment,
May 1998 - Oct. '99.
Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J. Dr. Gerben Zylstra, P.I.
Adjunct Instructor,
Middlesex County College,
Sept. 1997 – May 1999 (four semesters)
Graduate Assistant,
Biotech. Center for Agriculture and the Environment,
August 1992 - May 1998
Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J.
COURSES TAUGHT
Introduction to Environmental
Science (11:375:101)
-
Fall ’04 – present
-
Primary teaching
responsibility (70%) for one section with 280 students (Fall/Spr.).
-
Teach two online sections
(Spr./Sum.)
-
Course Coordinator
o
Includes management of
registration, websites, textbooks and other instructional materials for three
lecture sections and up to ten online sections each semester.
o
Development of instructional
materials.
o
Coordination with three other
faculty instructors and guest lecturers.
o
Includes supervision of
several Part-Time Lecturers.
o
Course enrolls over 1,000
students per year.
Environmental Microbiology Lab
(11:375:312 + 16:375:512)
-
Fall ’01 – present
-
Teach and coordinate three lab
sections.
o
Includes supervising an
Instructor or Part-time Lecturer, T.A. and work-study students as well as
working closely with the laboratory manager.
o
Development of novel
instructional materials
Microbial Ecology and
Diversity/Lab (11:680:491/492)
-
Spr. ’14,’15+’17
Lead Field trips
-
Fall ’02+’03
Guest Lectures
Biological Principals of
Environmental Science (11:375:201)
-
Fall ’03
Team Taught (33%)
Rutgers Office of Continuing
Professional Education
-
Microbiology for the
Non-Biologist
Coordinator and Lecturer, 2008 – present.
-
Activated Sludge
Laboratory Instructor, 2008 - present
-
Introduction to Sustainability
Management
Lecturer, 2013 - present
Middlesex County College
-
Taught "General Microbiology"
including laboratory, and "Applied Microbiology".
o
Spring '99
Applied Microbiology (Bio 224) including lab
o
Fall '98
General Microbiology (Bio 221) including lab
o
Spring '98
General Microbiology (Bio 221) laboratory only
o
Fall '97
General Microbiology (Bio 221) co-taught.
AWARDS
SEBS
Teaching Excellence Award. 2012.
SERVICE___________________________________________________________________
School
SEBS First Year Student Advisor.
2005 – present.
-
Advise 15-40 incoming
first-year SEBS students through course and major selection.
Organized and supported travel for Undergraduate and Graduate students to
present research at regional NEMPET Meeting.
2017: Spencer Roth (grad)
2016: Julia Campbell (grad), and
Jessica Choi (grad)
2015: Ashley Grosche (grad), and
Daniel Hollerbach
2014: Julia Campbell (grad),
Raffia Ahmed, Robert Kruk, and Matt Rudnick
2013: Sean Carey and Bahram
Manavi
2012: Sarat Kannepali (grad),
Katherine Della Terza, and Bavani Subramaniam
Immersive Synchronous Lecture Initiative.
2016-17.
-
Selected to participate in University initiative to reduce student travel by
teaching popular courses across campuses using video-linked lecture halls.
Member, TA/GA Personnel Grievance Committee
(replacement pool). Sept. 2015 –
present.
Member, Ad Hoc SEBS Teaching Excellence Award
Committee. 2013-15.
Member, SEBS Core Curriculum Committee.
2011-12.
Coordinator of On-Line Education Initiative.
2007 – present.
-
responsible for providing support to faculty and staff who are interested in
developing new online or hybrid courses and instructional materials.
department
Member, Peer Evaluation Committee (FCP).
2016+2017.
Member, Curriculum Committee.
2012 - present.
Member, Recruitment and Outreach Committee.
2010 - present.
Secretary of the Faculty.
Sept. 2015 – Oct. 2016.
Public outreach
“Magical Mud, Microbes and Methane” – NJ350 Blog –
Nov. 2014
Doug
Eveleigh, Theodore Chase Jr., Craig Phelps, and Lily Young
http://officialnj350.com/magical-mud-microbes-and-methane/
“Rutgers Environmental Science Students Volunteer at
Local “Freecycle” Event” – SEBS Newsroom
Presenter.
STEM Educator Series. “Soil Microbial Ecology”.
Jan. 22nd, 2014
“Biocomplexity and Microorganisms: Lessons in
Technology for Grades 5-8.” Lamkie, J. and C.D. Phelps.
http://www.engineeringplanet.rutgers.edu/lessons.php
Presenter. RutgersScience Saturday.
May 15th, 2010.
Judge.
The North Jersey Regional Science Fair.
2008 – present
Professional Affiliations
Northeast Microbiologists for Physiology, Ecology, Taxonomy.
1993 - present.
President: 2015 – present.
Co-Host and Organizer:
2005 – present.
Scientific
Session Coordinator: 2003 – present.
Corresponding Secretary: 2000 – present.
American Society of Microbiologists.
1994 - present.
New Jersey Science Teachers Association.
2003 – present.
Microbial Educators Network (Delaware/Lehigh Valley Region).
2003 – present.
Professional activities
American Society of Microbiologists – Conference on
Undergraduate Education (Presenter).
2017.
American Society of Microbiologists – Conference on
Undergraduate Education (Presenter).
2016.
Contributed letter of support for tenure candidate at
Olin College of Engineering. 2015.
American Society of Microbiologists – Conference on
Undergraduate Education (Attendee).
2013.
USEPA Workshop on Monitored Natural Attenuation of Polynuclear Aromatic
Hydrocarbons at Manufactured Gas Plant Sites, Dallas TX.
(Participant).
May 27-29, 2009.
14th Annual Northeast Regional Teaching Workshop (Attendee). 2005.
34th Mid-Atlantic Industrial and Hazardous Waste Conference (Session
Moderator). 2002.
Gordon Research Conference (Environmental Sciences: Water).
2000.
Gordon Research Conference (Applied and Environmental Microbiology).
1999+2003.
Peer review:
“Aquatic Microbial Ecology”
“Biodegradation”
“Chemical Engineering
Communications”
“Environmental Science and
Technology”
“FEMS – Microbiology Ecology”
"Journal of Environmental
Engineering"
“Journal of Hazardous
Materials”
“PLOS One”
Canada Foundation for
Innovation
Textbook review:
McGraw-Hill Higher Education
W.H.
Freeman and Co.
John
Wiley & Sons
SCHOLARSHIP______________________________________________________________
* Graduate Student under my direct or indirect
supervision
1.
Phelps, C.D.
A Simple Soil Assay to Demonstrate
Enzyme Regulation. J. Microbiol. Biol.
Educ. (in preparation)
2.
Phelps, C.D.
Winogradsky’s Battery: A Lab Model for Demonstrating the Role of Electron
Potential in Metabolism. J. Microbiol.
Biol. Educ. (in preparation)
3.
*Oka, A.R., C.D. Phelps, X,
Zhu, D.L. Saber, and L.Y. Young.
2011. Dual Biomarkers of Anaerobic Hydrocarbon Degradation in
Historically Contaminated Groundwater.
Environ. Sci. Technol,
45 (8): 3407–3414.
4.
*Callaghan, A.C., M. *Tierney,
C.D. Phelps and L.Y. Young.
2009.
Characterization of a
Denitrifying Consortium: Evidence of Carboxylation during Hexadecane
Degradation. Appl. Environ. Micro.
75(5): 1339–1344.
5.
*Oka, A.R., C.D. Phelps, L.M.
McGuinness, A. Mumford, L.Y. Young, and L.J. Kerkhof. 2008.
Identification of critical members in a sulfidogenic benzene-degrading
consortium by DNA stable isotope probing.
Appl. Environ. Microbiol.
74(20):6476-6480.
6.
Rhine, E.D., C.D. Phelps and
L.Y. Young. 2006.
Anaerobic arsenite oxidation by novel denitrifying isolates.
Environ. Microbiol.
8(5):899-908.
7.
Rhine, E.D., E. García-Domínguez,
C.D. Phelps and L.Y. Young. 2005.
Environmental microbes can speciate and cycle arsenic.
Environ. Sci. and Technol.
39:9569-9573.
8.
*Gallagher, E., L. McGuinness,
C.D. Phelps, L.Y. Young and L.J. Kerkhof.
2005. 13C-Carrier
DNA shortens the incubation time needed to detect benzoate-utilizing
denitrifying bacteria by stable-isotope probing.
Appl. Environ. Microbiol.
71(9):5192-5196.
9.
Young, L.Y. and C.D. Phelps.
2005. Metabolic biomarkers
for monitoring in situ anaerobic hydrocarbon degradation.
Environmental Health Perspectives.
113(1):62-67.
10.
So, C.M., C.D. Phelps and L.Y.
Young. 2003.
Anaerobic transformation of alkanes to fatty acids: Initial reactions by
the sulfate-reducer strain HXD3 using stable isotope labeled compounds.
Appl. Environ. Microbiol.
69(7):3892-3900.
11.
Phelps, C.D., J. Battistelli,
and L.Y. Young. 2002.
Metabolic biomarkers for monitoring anaerobic naphthalene biodegradation
in situ.
Environ. Microbiol.
4(9):532-537.
12.
Phelps, C.D., X. Zhang, and
L.Y. Young. 2001.
Detection of benzoate from anaerobic benzene metabolism by a sulfidogenic
consortium.
Environ. Microbiol.
3(9):600-603.
13.
Sullivan, E.R., X. Zhang, C.D.
Phelps and L.Y. Young. 2001.
Anaerobic mineralization of stable isotope labeled 2-methylnaphthalene.
Appl. Environ. Microbiol.
67(9):4353-4357.
14.
Phelps, C.D. and L.Y. Young.
2000. Anaerobic biodegradation of gasoline components:
A review.
Advances in Agronomy, Vol. 70
pp. 329-358.
15.
Phelps, C.D., and L.Y. Young.
1999. Anaerobic
biodegradation of BTEX and gasoline in various aquatic sediments.
Biodegradation. 10(1):
15-25.
16.
Boyle, A.W., C.D. Phelps and
L.Y. Young. 1999.
Isolation of a Desulfovibrio strain from estuarine sediments which can grow on
lactate coupled to the reductive dehalogenation of 2,4,6-Tribromophenol.
Appl. Environ. Microbiol.
65(3): 1133-1140.
17.
Phelps, C.D., L. Kerkhof and
L.Y. Young. 1998.
Molecular characterization of a sulfate-reducing consortium which
mineralizes benzene.
FEMS Microbiology Ecology
27(3):269-279.
18.
Phelps, C.D., X. Zhang, C.-M.
So and L.Y. Young. 1998.
Petroleum components can be biodegraded in anoxic environments.
Proceedings: 1998 Pacific Basin Conference on Hazardous Waste.
April 22-24, Honolulu, HI,
USA pages 128-140.
19.
Phelps, C.D. and L.Y. Young.
1997. Microbial metabolism of the plant phenolic compounds ferulic and
syringic acids under three anaerobic conditions.
Microbial Ecology 33(3):
206-215.
20.
Phelps, C.D., J. Kazumi and
L.Y. Young. 1996. Anaerobic
degradation of benzene in BTX mixtures dependent on sulfate-reduction.
FEMS Microbiology Letters
145(3): 433-437.
Platform Presentations:
1.
Phelps, C.D. 2017.
Winogradsky’s Battery: Visualizing
Electron Potential in a Sediment Column. Microbrew Presentation. American
Society for Microbiology Conference for Undergraduate Educators. Denver,
Colorado.
2.
Phelps, C.D. 2016.
Using a Simple Soil Assay to Demonstrate
Regulation of Enzyme Production. Microbrew Presentation. American Society for
Microbiology Conference for Undergraduate Educators. North Bethesda, Maryland.
3.
Phelps, C.D. and A. Oka. 2009.
Metabolic and Molecular
Biomarkers of In Situ Biodegradation.
Ann. Conference of Northeast Microbiologists for Physiology,
Ecology, Taxonomy, Blue Mtn. Lake, NY.
4.
Phelps, C.D. 2006.
A Simple Soil Assay to
Demonstrate Enzyme Regulation.
Ann. Conference of Northeast Microbiologists for Physiology, Ecology,
Taxonomy, Blue Mtn. Lake, NY.
5.
Phelps, C.D. 2005.
Modeling the biogeochemical cycle of arsenic.
Ann. Conference of Northeast Microbiologists for Physiology, Ecology,
Taxonomy, Blue Mtn. Lake, NY.
6.
Phelps, C.D. 2005.
Microbial degradation pathways: a tool for environmental monitoring.
Annual Meeting of the Center for Environmental Bio-Inorganic Chemistry.
Princeton, NJ.
7.
Phelps, C.D., J. Lamkie. 2004.
Winogradsky’s Battery: Exploring biocomplexity in aquatic sediment.
New Jersey Science Convention. Somerset, NJ.
8.
Phelps, C.D., E. Gallagher, L. Kerkhof and L.Y. Young.
2004. New approaches to
studying biodegradation of TNT in anaerobic sediments.
The 14th Annual West Coast Conference on Soils, Sediments and
Water. San Diego, CA.
9.
Phelps, C.D. 2002.
Metabolic biomarkers for detecting PAH biodegradation in groundwater and
sediments. The 18th
Annual International Conference on Contaminated Soils, Sediments and Water.
Amherst, MA.
10.
Phelps, C.D., and E.L. Hacherl.
2001. A modified Winogradsky column
for teaching the iron cycle. Ann.
Conference of Northeast Microbiologists for Physiology, Ecology, Taxonomy, Blue
Mtn. Lake, NY.
11.
Phelps, C.D., and L.Y. Young. 2001.
Metabolic biomarkers for monitoring
in situ toluene and naphthalene bioremediation.
Battelle Symposium on In Situ and On-Site Bioremediation San Diego, CA.
12.
Phelps, C.D., and L.Y. Young.
2000. Anaerobic metabolites
and co-metabolites as bioindicators of in
situ biodegradation.
Ann. Conference of Northeast Microbiologists for Physiology, Ecology,
Taxonomy, Blue Mtn. Lake, NY.
13.
Phelps, C.D. and L.Y. Young.
1998. Anaerobic
biodegradation of benzene and other gasoline components.
Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT (invited speaker).
14.
Phelps, C.D. and L.Y. Young.
1998. Biodegradation of BTEX
under anaerobic conditions in various aquatic sediments.
Ann. Conference of Northeast Microbiologists for Physiology, Ecology,
Taxonomy, Blue Mtn. Lake, NY.
15.
Phelps, C.D., X. Zhang, C.-M.
So and L.Y. Young. 1998.
Petroleum components can be biodegraded in anoxic environments.
Pacific Basin Conference on Hazardous Waste, Honolulu, HI.
16.
Phelps, C.D. and L.Y. Young.
1996. Anaerobic benzene
mineralization in marine sediments.
Ann. Conference of Northeast Microbiologists for Physiology, Ecology, Taxonomy,
Blue Mtn. Lake, NY.
Selected Posters:
1.
P. Anderson, T. Barkay, T. Chase Jr., S. Crane, D. Davis, G. Davis, J. Dietz, D.
Eveleigh, Z. Freedman, I. Gray, M. Häggblom, A. Isola, H. Liu, K. Maguire, A.
Marinucci, A. Patel, C. Phelps*, S. Rawat, M. Spero, G. Swiatek, C. Vetriani, C.
Villano, & L. Young. 2014. The First
American Microbiological Experiment: the George Washington and Thomas Paine
Demonstration that the Marsh Will-O-the-Wisp was due to a Flammable Gas.
General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology Boston, MA.
2.
C.
D. Phelps. 2012.
A Simple Soil Assay to Demonstrate Enzyme Regulation.
General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology San Francisco,
CA.
3.
A.R.
Oka,
C. D. Phelps, X. Zhu, D. L. Saber, L. Y. Young.
2009.
Metabolic Biomarkers and Biomolecular Signatures Provide Evidence for
Natural Attenuation of Hydrocarbons in Anoxic Groundwater.
General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology
Philadelphia, PA.
4.
C.D. Phelps, C. M. Goodman, R.
Miskewitz, W. J. Sciarappa, and C. C. Obropta.
2009.
Evaluation of Critical Parameters
for Effective qPCR-Based Microbial Source Tracking on a Watershed Scale.
General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology
Philadelphia, PA.
5.
A.R. Oka, J. Anello, C.D. Phelps, and L.Y. Young. 2008.
Anaerobic Mechanism of
Benzene and Phenol Degradation in a Sulfidogenic Consortium from Guaymas Basin.
General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology Boston,
MA.
6.
C.D. Phelps, K.A. Buckley, C.C. Obropta, and L.Y. Young. 2007.
Comparison of qPCR-Based Microbial Source Tracking Data to Traditional
Water Quality Measurements in the Upper Cohansey River Watershed.
General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology Toronto,
ON.
7.
Gallagher, E., Phelps, C.D., L.Y. Young and L. Kerkhof.
2004. Monitoring changes in
anaerobic, aromatic degrading communities using stable-isotopes.
General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology New Orleans, LA.
8.
Phelps, C.D. 2003.
Winogradsky's Battery: Demonstrating redox potential using stratified
sediment columns. General Meeting of
the American Society for Microbiology Washington, DC.
9.
Wise, A., Phelps, C.D., and L.Y. Young.
2002. Anaerobic metabolism of
p-cresol.
General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology Salt Lake City,
UT.
10.
Battistelli, J.M., Phelps, C.D., and L.Y. Young.
2002. Use of metabolic
biomarkers for monitoring anaerobic naphthalene biodegradation.
General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology Salt Lake City,
UT.
11.
Phelps, C.D., X. Zhang, and L.Y. Young.
2001. Transformation of
biphenyl and fluorobiphenyl by a sulfidogenic consortium degrading phenanthrene.
General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology Orlando, FL.
12.
Phelps, C.D., J. Oberer, G. Mortimer and L.Y. Young.
2000. Use of metabolic
biomarkers to monitor in situ
bioremediation at a contaminated field site.
General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology Los Angeles, CA
.
13.
Phelps, C.D., and L.Y. Young.
1999. Isolation and
characterization of an oligotrophic member of the
Cytophagales.
Ann. Conference of Northeast Microbiologists for Physiology, Ecology,
Taxonomy, Blue Mtn. Lake, NY.
14.
Phelps, C.D., Lee Kerkhof and
L.Y. Young. 1998.
Characterizing an anaerobic, benzene-degrading consortium.
General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology Atlanta, GA.
15.
Phelps, C.D. and L.Y. Young.
1997. Biodegradation of BTEX
Under anaerobic conditions in various aquatic sediments.
General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, Miami, FL.
16.
Phelps, C.D., J. Kazumi and
L.Y. Young. 1995.
Anaerobic biodegradation of benzene in marine sediments.
General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, Washington,
D.C.
17.
Phelps, C.D. and L.Y. Young.
1993. Degradation of ferulic
and syringic acids, two model lignin monomers, under three different reducing
conditions. Ann. Conference of
Northeast Microbiologists for Physiology, Ecology, Taxonomy, Blue Mtn. Lake, NY.
Grants
Investigation of the Fate and Transport of Fecal
Contamination Using Microbial Source Tracking.
USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
$399,863. Obropta, C.O.;
Miskewitz, R.J.; Phelps, C. 15 June,
2007 – 14 June, 2011.