Paul G. Falkowski

I am a biologist and oceanographer interested in the evolution of biogeochemical cycles. Most of my work has been devoted to understanding the factors regulating photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation in contemporary marine organisms, especially phytoplankton and corals. My biophysical approach to photosynthesis led to the development of novel instrumentation which facilitated an understanding of photophysiology in the ocean on spatial scales from millimeters to thousands of kilometers. This work has served as a basis for understanding the global carbon cycle. Over the past decade, I have extended my research back in geological time in an attempt to understand how basic biogeochemical cycles are coupled to abiotic processes, such as tectonics and photochemistry, and how the chemistry of Earth has been influenced over the past 4 billion years.

My research interests include oceanography, biogeochemistry, evolution, ecology, corals, photosynthesis, microbiology, symbiosis, biomineralization, energy, biofuels, algae, protein structure, geochemistry.