The Pursuit for Diatoms: An Undergraduate’s Journey into the Field

by Riley Steptoe |

“These are diatoms. They have glass cell walls. They’re pretty neat— useful in forensics,”

Dr. Christopher Tabit said to a class of undergraduate biology majors in the introductory Biological Diversity course. He clicked over to the next screen and moved on. While his lecture continued, my mind stayed with the geometric structures. I had to know more.

So, my scientific hunt for diatoms began. I wanted to know everything about them: habitat, ecology, biology, everything.

I had become enamored with diatoms — I knew that if I wanted to pursue research with them, my first step was to find somewhere that could teach me more. I discovered the Ecology and Systematics of Diatoms course at Iowa Lakeside Lab, the beginning point for many prominent diatomists. There, I found a community equally enthusiastic people. We spent hours in the field, collecting samples from lakes and wetlands, and even more looking through the microscope at the diverse diatom frustules, documenting the species we observed. At the end of the course, I was ready to get started on my own project back home.

Cymbella mexicana. Image taken during the 2024 Ecology and Systematics of Diatoms course

Since then, I’ve started a long-term research project studying diatoms in soils. The goal is to see what species are present in floodplain soils versus the terrace soils. While this project has not been easy, it has been incredibly rewarding. From collaborating with many professors on campus to sharing my passion for diatoms with other students, I have found my path. With every new slide, I still feel wonder towards these silicate organisms.

Collecting soil samples for diatom extraction

As I approach graduation, my journey continues. Moving forward, I am following my curiosity and pursuing diatom research in graduate school. I can’t wait to see what else is in store for me.

The author after collecting a plankton sample