From Fresno's Valley to Sierra's Peaks: Meet Christopher Bivins, UC Merced's Pioneer Mycologist
In the vast expanse of California's Central Valley, a young Christopher Bivins found himself yearning for something more than Fresno's urban landscape. Little did he know that his childhood camping trips to Washington State's Olympia National Forest would plant the seeds for a groundbreaking career in mycology.
"Returning from these trips back to Fresno always made me feel like my hometown was, relatively speaking, completely devoid of 'nature,'" Bivins reflected. This early contrast would spark a lifelong passion for exploring the natural world.
A Journey into the Fungal Kingdom
What started as a botany major at San Francisco State University transformed into an all-consuming passion when Bivins discovered the fascinating world of fungi. "I became completely obsessed with fungi and quickly realized that I wanted to spend the rest of my life studying them, and teaching others about them," he shares with evident enthusiasm.
This obsession led him to pursue a master's degree at Fresno State University, where he conducted research in the Sierra Nevada mountains. It was here that Bivins made a crucial discovery: the Sierra Nevada foothills were an untapped frontier for mycological research.
The choice to pursue his Ph.D. at UC Merced was both strategic and personal. "I chose UC Merced because it is the closest research university to the Sierras," Bivins explains. Under the mentorship of Dr. Carolin Frank, he found the perfect environment to pursue his research interests.
Speaking of his advisor, Bivins appreciates the autonomy he's been given: "She has given me the opportunity to 'steer my own boat' as she describes it, supporting me completely in my pursuit of a wide variety of research questions."
Breaking New Ground
What makes Bivins' work particularly significant is its pioneering nature. With only three scientific studies ever published on fungi from the Sierra Nevada foothills—all conducted near UC Davis—Bivins is quite literally breaking new ground.
"I am one of the first mycologists ever to study fungi in this particular region of the world," he notes. His current project involves building a DNA sequence database of fungal species in the foothills, creating a crucial resource for future scientists and conservationists.
Among his proudest achievements is his participation in the UC Merced and Joint Genome Institute (JGI) internship program during summer 2023. "My experience at the JGI was extraordinary," Bivins recalled. "It felt incredible to spend my summer working at an institution staffed by some of the top scientists in their fields in the entire world, and even better than I got to spend it working on the group of organisms I love the most: Fungi!"
Perhaps most touching is Bivins' dedication to education. His most influential mentors at UC Merced? The undergraduate students he teaches. "They, more than anything, constantly remind me that I am in the right place and am doing something right," he said with pride.
Bivins continues his research at UC Merced, expanding our understanding of fungal ecology in the Sierra Nevada foothills while inspiring the next generation of scientists through his teaching and mentorship.
