Dr. Young is an environmental microbiologist and has worked on biodegradation processes that occur in soils and sediments in both freshwater and marine environments. Her first major research focus is anaerobic biodegradation of aromatic compounds, both natural and anthropogenic, including lignoaromatic compounds, BTX, alkanes, PAHs, their mechanisms of degradation, the microorganisms involved and their role in Carbon turnover, especially in light of global warming. This also has relevance to petroleum formations and their origins and diagenesis.

Her second major focus is microbial reduction and oxidation of metals and metal sulfides in the environment, especially arsenic (III & V), and microbial effects of the formation and the dissolution of metal sulfides. This also has implications for mineral formations. For example, to our knowledge, we published the first description of microbial formation of alacranite (As8S9) (2013) which is typically considered to be formed under hydrothermal conditions.

She has collaborated across campus with faculty in other departments including chemical and biochemical engineering, biochemistry and microbiology, marine and coastal sciences, plant biology, earth and planetary sciences. Being a member of EOAS provides her with additional opportunities for interdisciplinary interactions.