Astrobiologists among the 2012 Geochemical Fellows

January 26, 2012 / Posted by: Aaron Gronstal

Susan Brantley (Penn State), James Farquhar (University of Maryland), Lee Kump (Penn State) and Kevin McKeegan (UCLA) are among the 2012 Geochemical Fellows.
The Geochemical Society and European Association of Geochemistry have announced ten researchers that have been selected to receive the honor of 2012 Geochemical Fellow. Among the fellows elected this year are four scientists whose work is supported in part by elements of the NASA Astrobiology Program:

• Susan Brantley (Penn State)
  NAI team:
  Pennsylvania State University (CAN5)

• James Farquhar (University of Maryland)
  NAI teams:
  Carnegie Institution of Washington (CAN5)
  Pennsylvania State University (CAN5)

• Lee Kump (Penn State)
  NAI Team:
  Pennsylvania State University (CAN5)

• Kevin McKeegan (UCLA)
  NAI Team:
  Pennsylvania State University (CAN5)

Members of the NASA Astrobiology Institute’s (NAI) team at Pennsylvania State University are developing novel approaches to detecting and characterizing life – both on Earth and beyond. Key aspects of their work include: developing and testing new biosignatures, studying microbial life in mission-relevant ecosystems on Earth, identifying biosignatures in ancient rocks on Earth, and investigating planetary companions and planets around M stars and K-giant stars.

In addition, James Farquhar’s work with the NAI team at the Carnegie Institute of Washington includes studies in geological-biological interactions. This project covers a wide range of areas relevant to research at the Astrobiology Program, from microbial diversity in extreme environments to identifying biosignatures in modern and ancient rocks.

The Geochemical Fellows will receive their honor at the 2012 V.M. Goldschmidt Conference in Montreal. Additional recipients of the 2012 awards include Timothy Grove (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Andrew Gleadow (University of Melbourne), Bjørn Jamtveit (University of Oslo), Hans Keppler (University of Bayreuth), Mark Kurz (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution) and Andrew Putnis (University of Muenster).

The Geochemical Society and The European Association of Geochemistry honorary title of Geochemistry Fellow, is bestowed upon outstanding scientists who have, over some years, made a major contribution to the field of geochemistry.