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It has been said that the pursuit of
a Ph.D. is not a sprint, but an endurance race. If that is
true, forest ecology Ph.D. candidate Nina Wurzburger should
have no problem finishing. She is the world's top female duathlon
competitor in her age group. Wurzburger began competing on
the swim and track teams in high school and college, and she
started biking to cross-train. She has competed all over the
world, recently winning first place in her age group at the
World Championship Duathlon in Fredericia, Denmark. She will
also represent the United States in the upcoming 2005 long
course World Championship Duathon in Barcis, Italy.
Expected graduation: May
2006
Degree objective: Ph.D. in Forest Resources
Other degrees:
M.S., University of California, Davis, 2000 (Soil Science);
B.S., University of California, Davis, 1997 (Environmental
and Resource Science)
University highlights, achievements
and awards:
Since I’ve been a graduate student at UGA I have been
awarded research funding or scholarships from outside institutions;
Sigma Xi Grants In Aid of Research 2002, Society of Wetland
Scientists Graduate Research Award 2003, as well as from on
campus organizations. In 2003 I received the Martha Love May
Memorial Scholarship from the Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources
(WSFR), and the Graduate Research Prize from the Center for
Biological Diversity and Ecosystem Processes in 2004. These
awards have helped fund my dissertation research.
My greatest athletic achievements have been in the sport
of duathlon (run-bike-run). In 2004 I qualified to represent
USA at the Long Course Duathlon World Championships, in Fredericia,
Denmark. This race was a 20 km run, 120 km bike, followed
by a 10 km run. This race took almost 6.5 hrs and I placed
first in my age group, making me an amateur, age group world
champion. One month later I also became national champion
after placing first in my age group at the National Championship
for Long Course Duathlon.
Current employment:
I am a research assistant and a teaching assistant in the
WSFR. My research is in forest ecology, but more specifically,
below ground ecology of tree roots and symbiotic fungi. Below
ground ecology is fascinating to me because it is challenging
to study and an important component of forest ecosystems.
When people hear the term “forest ecology” they
often think of trees, plants and animals (because they are
all immediately visible). What some people might neglect to
realize is that soils host very complex biotic communities
which have a profound impact on what they see above ground.
My dissertation research focuses on mycorrhizas—a symbiotic
relationship between plant roots and fungi.
High School: Pacific Grove High School
Hometown: Pacific Grove, California
I choose to attend UGA because...
...I wanted to work under my current advisor, Ron Hendrick
in WSFR. I met Ron in 1997, when I was still an undergrad,
when he visited UC Davis, as he is a colleague of my former
M.S. advisor. I discovered that we had similar research interests
and I was excited at the prospect of working with him on a
doctoral research project at UGA.
My favorite things to do on campus are...
...the things I do every day including research, TAing and
going to Jittery Joe’s with my pal Chelcy Rae where
we get heavily caffeinated and talk about “science."
When I have free time, I like...
When I’m not working, eating or sleeping, I’m
usually training. I am friends with an amazing group of multi-sport
athletes, runners and cyclists that are not only my training
partners, but some of my best friends. They are graduate students,
professors and professionals of all different ages and with
different backgrounds who share a passion for sport. Sometimes
we have stimulating conversations, sometimes we trudge through
a bike ride or run in complete silence. More often than not
we question our sanity and always support one another. So,
training is not simply exercise for me, but also important
social time.
The craziest thing I've done is...
I train 10-20 hours a week. Does this sound sane to you?
If I could share an afternoon with anyone, I would
love to share it with...
...my family in California because I don’t see them
often. I’d especially love to spend time with my father,
a talented stained glass artisan, and I'd like to watch him
work in the Mert Studio of Art in Pacific Grove.
If money was not a consideration, I would love to...
...donate a large sum of money to research funding institutions
(like the National Science Foundation) to increase our breadth
of knowledge and to promote research in my field. On a more
whimsical note, I’d buy a John Deere riding mower so
that every morning, I could ride 2 blocks to Jittery Joe’s
where I would have unlimited access to chai and Zim’s
bagels.
The one UGA experience I will always remember will
be...
One of my training partners is Kathy Parker, a professor in
the geography department. Kathy is a cancer survivor and was
selected by the Lance Armstrong Foundation to ride in the
Tour of Hope, a bike ride across the country to raise cancer
awareness. I've had the pleasure of training with Kathy while
I've been at UGA, and I will always find her to be a source
of inspiration.
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