About

Lauren Hartzell Nichols is an affiliate assistant professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Washington. She holds a Ph.D. from Stanford University, completed in 2009, and has an interdisciplinary background in environmental studies from Connecticut College, where she initially pursued a career in environmental science before discovering her passion for philosophy. Her work addresses the ethical challenges posed by climate change, with a particular focus on the complexity of ethical decision-making in the context of significant, intergenerational risks. She has published her first book, "A Climate of Risk: Precautionary Principles, Catastrophes, and Climate Change," and is dedicated to teaching courses that explore the ethical intricacies of environmental issues through interdisciplinary inquiry.

Research topics

• Political science
• Environmental science
• Environmental resource management
• Business
• Environmental ethics

Selected publications

• A review of sourdough starters: ecology, practices, and sensory quality with applications for baking and recommendations for future research

  PeerJ · 2021 · 103 citations

  • Biotechnology
  • Food science
  • Business

  The practice of sourdough bread-making is an ancient science that involves the development, maintenance, and use of a diverse and complex starter culture. The sourdough starter culture comes in many different forms and is used in bread-making at both artisanal and commercial scales, in countries all over the world. While there is ample scientific research related to sourdough, there is no standardized approach to using sourdough starters in science or the bread industry; and there are few recommendations on future directions for sourdough research. Our review highlights what is currently known about the microbial ecosystem of sourdough (including microbial succession within the starter culture), methods of maintaining sourdough (analogous to land management) on the path to bread production, and factors that influence the sensory qualities of the final baked product. We present new hypotheses for the successful management of sourdough starters and propose future directions for sourdough research and application to better support and engage the sourdough baking community.

  DOI

• The diversity and function of sourdough starter microbiomes

  eLife · 2021 · 197 citations

  • Biology
  • Food science
  • Ecology

  Humans have relied on sourdough starter microbial communities to make leavened bread for thousands of years, but only a small fraction of global sourdough biodiversity has been characterized. Working with a community-scientist network of bread bakers, we determined the microbial diversity of 500 sourdough starters from four continents. In sharp contrast with widespread assumptions, we found little evidence for biogeographic patterns in starter communities. Strong co-occurrence patterns observed in situ and recreated in vitro demonstrate that microbial interactions shape sourdough community structure. Variation in dough rise rates and aromas were largely explained by acetic acid bacteria, a mostly overlooked group of sourdough microbes. Our study reveals the extent of microbial diversity in an ancient fermented food across diverse cultural and geographic backgrounds.

  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• James A. Lutz

  Utah State University

  4 shared

• Jessica Melbourne‐Thomas

  Centre for Marine Socioecology

  4 shared

• Katherine Mackey

  Gallagher (United States)

  4 shared

• Daniela Cusack

  Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

  3 shared

• J. R. Taylor

  2 shared

• Diego Riveros‐Iregui

  University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

  2 shared

• Larisa R.G. DeSantis

  2 shared

• Cascade J. B. Sorte

  2 shared

Labs

• Lauren Hartzell Nichols LabPI

Education

• B.A., Environmental Studies, Philosophy

  Connecticut College

• Ph.D., Philosophy

  Stanford University

Awards & honors

• Ben Rabinowitz Workshop on Environmental Ethics: Climate Jus…
• Newsletter Fall 2014 Awards and Achievements (February 6, 20…
• Newsletter Fall 2011 Awards and Achievements (March 31, 2014…

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