Beatrice Bock, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Researcher @ Northern Arizona University

About

I am a mycorrhizal ecologist and computational scientist with expertise in designing and leading research programs that integrate experimental ecology, ecological theory, and data science to address ecosystem function and climate resilience. My research moves across scales, from field and laboratory studies to the development of foundational fungal biodiversity datasets. Currently a PhD Candidate at Northern Arizona University supported by the AAUW Dissertation Fellowship, my work is centered on three primary pillars of research leadership: Common Fungal Network Research: I led a multi-year initiative investigating common non-mycorrhizal fungal networks, providing the first experimental evidence of water transfer via common dark septate endophyte (DSE) networks. Global Biodiversity Synthesis: I designed and implemented a machine learning pipeline to synthesize 20,000+ scientific studies, identifying critical sampling gaps to inform global mapping strategies. Climate Resilience: My research characterizes mycorrhizal fungal communities and ecosystem function in Populus systems, specifically analyzing cost-benefit trade-offs and drought survival. I am a proponent of open-source science and have developed tools such as the nanodRop R package and BioBERT workflows for automated fungal trait extraction. By integrating experimental data with predictive modeling frameworks, I aim to advance our understanding of fungal roles in ecosystem function and climate regulation.

Country

United States

City

Flagstaff

Industry

Biotechnology

Skill

Data Analytics, Molecular Biology, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Data Management, Natural Language Processing (NLP), Data Science, Machine Learning, Endophyte isolations, Sanger Sequencing, DNA Extraction, Laboratory Skills, Greenhouse Experiments, Aseptic Technique, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Excel, Customer Service, Research, Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Outlook, R

Experience

Postdoctoral Researcher

Northern Arizona University

2026-3 - Present · 7 mos

Flagstaff, AZ

PhD Candidate & Researcher

Northern Arizona University

2021-8 - 2026-3 · 4 yrs 8 mos

Flagstaff, Arizona, United States

Computational biologist and fungal ecologist integrating machine learning (AI/ML) with experimental fieldwork to predict how plant-fungal symbioses respond to climate change. My research combines large-scale data synthesis with greenhouse and field experimentation. Computational Biology & Tool Development: AI/ML Pipelines: Developed and deployed Natural Language Processing (NLP) workflows (e.g. using BERT transformers (BioBERT)) to extract fungal data from 20,000+ scientific abstracts. Open Source Software: Created and maintain nanodRop, an R package for reproducible spectral data analysis, and open-source models for automated trait extraction. Big Data Synthesis: Designed pipelines to test global patterns of fungal endophyte ubiquity, resulting in a manuscript currently in review. Experimental Ecology & Project Management: Climate Resilience: Led multi-year field and greenhouse experiments on Populus (Cottonwood) to characterize root fungal shifts under drought stress, combining physiological data with Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS). Hydrological Dynamics: Provided the first evidence of fungal-mediated water transfer by non-mycorrhizal fungi in Sorghum, published in Communications Biology. Mentorship: Mentored 4 undergraduate students from experimental design through to co-authorship on peer-reviewed publications. Awards & Leadership: IMS Early Career Researcher Award (2026): Selected as the North American representative for the International Mycorrhiza Society. AAUW Dissertation Fellow (2025-2026): Recognized for academic excellence and contribution to STEM. Core Stack: R (Advanced), Python (scikit-learn, Pandas), NLP, GIS/Remote Sensing, Molecular Ecology (PCR, Sanger, NGS).

Talent Acquisition Consultant

Splunk

2021-3 - 2021-8 · 6 mos

Recruiting for the world's first Data-to-Everything Platform. Searching for talented Technical Support Account Managers.

Associate

IQTalent

2021-2 - 2021-8 · 7 mos

Nashville, Tennessee, United States

IQTalent Partners, Inc. provides full service, on-demand talent acquisition solutions, without commissions or long-term contracts. From sourcing to executive search, our innovative approach quickly enables us to fill the most challenging hiring needs.

Consulting Utility Forester

ACRT

2020-7 - 2021-2 · 8 mos

Nashville, Tennessee, United States

Quality assessment auditing of tree trimming work around utility lines Identification and hazard assessment of trees Daily use of GIS-based applications Customer service

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Vanderbilt University

2017-10 - 2020-5 · 2 yrs 8 mos

Greater Nashville Area, TN

Data analysis in R

Undergraduate Teaching Assistant

Vanderbilt University

2018-8 - 2018-12 · 5 mos

Greater Nashville Area, TN

Guided Oceanography students in twice-weekly Homework Help Sessions Responsible for grading the weekly assignments of 50 undergraduate students

Summer Research Assistant

Stanford University

2018-6 - 2018-8 · 3 mos

Palo Alto, CA

Historical geobiology lab using geochemistry to analyze Ordovician shales to understand the oxidation of oceans when the sediment was deposited. Co-authored this paper on this research: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abf4382