Dr. Barton’s research is geared toward understanding microbial interactions and processes in cave environments and has published over 100 articles on this work along with co-editing two books: Women in Microbiology, and Lechuguilla Cave: Discoveries in a Hidden Splendor. Dr. Barton’s work has been funded by the US National Science Foundation (NSF), US National Institutes of Health, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the US National Park Service, and NASA. Her work has been featured in Vice, Sports Illustrated, Forbes, National Geographic Explorer, Outside, Science News, The Scientist, Popular Mechanics, Wired, Geo and The Smithsonian magazines, on NPR and BBC Radio, on Animal Planet, the History Channel, National Geographic, the CBS Early Show, BBC TV and in the IMAX movie Journey into Amazing Caves. Dr. Barton is also an avid caver, having explored caves on six continents, and previously served as Chair of the Board of the National Cave and Karst Research Institute, is currently the Education Coordinator for the National Speleological Society (NSS) Vertical Training Commission, editor of the book Basic Vertical Techniques and an award-winning cave cartographer. She is also a Fellow of the NSS, a Kavli Fellow of the US National Academy of Science, and past Chair of the Committee on the Status of Women in Microbiology for the American Society for Microbiology.  Dr. Barton is the recipient of a National Science Foundation CAREER Award, the NSS Science Award, the Alice C. Evans Award for the advancement of Women in Science, and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology.