Kenneth Nealson
Wrigley Chair in Environmental Studies and Professor of Earth Sciences and Biological Sciences
Contact Information
Office: ZHS 227
Phone: (213)821-2271
E-mail:
knealson@wrigley.usc.edu
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Education
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 B.S. Biochemistry, University of Chicago, 1/1965
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Ph.D. Microbiology, University of Chicago, 1/1969
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Academic Appointment, Affiliation, and Employment History
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Wrigley Professor of Geobiology, University of Southern California, 10/1/2001-
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Senior Scientist, Professor, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Caltech, 10/1/1997-10/1/2001
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Distinguished Professor, Center Great Lakes Studies, University of Wisconsin, 10/1/1985-10/1/1997
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Professor, Scripps Inst. Oceanography, UCSD, 10/1/1973-10/1/1985
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Description of Research
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Summary Statement of Research Interests
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Professor Nealson pioneered the field of modern geobiology – an area of science that tackles the still largely unexplored domain where the processes and chemistry of life intersect with the planet's mineral and metal chemistry. In his early work as a marine microbiologist, Nealson discovered quorum sensing, the phenomenon in which microbial communities create light. As one of the first to recognize the importance of microorganisms in catalyzing redox reactions in the environment, he has led the development of tools to study these organisms. Nealson's techniques, used to study microbial populations through genetic identification, are now considered standard in analyzing microbes found in biofilms. On a much larger scale, Nealson has studied the cycling of such minerals as iron and manganese, revealing the key role of microorganisms in these biogeochemical processes. More recently, he has turned to figuring out how life can function in extreme environments, and he is directing efforts at NASA to search for life and evidence of ancient life in the solar system.
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Honors and Awards
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Endowed Chair, Wrigley Chair in Environmental Studies, 9/1/2001-
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Proctor and Gamble Medal in Environmental Microbiology, 5/2003
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Distinguished Visiting Researcher Award presented by Joint Oceanographic Institution, 1996
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Fellow (or Equivalent) of National Society in Discipline, American Academy of Microbiology, 1994
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Guggenheim Fellowship, 1982
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