Dr. Edward F. DeLong stands as a preeminent figure in marine microbiology and microbial oceanography with a distinguished career spanning over three decades. Currently serving as Professor of Oceanography at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa's School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, he also maintains a position as Visiting Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His academic journey began with an Associate of Science in Biology from Santa Rosa Junior College in 1980, followed by a Bachelor of Science in Bacteriology from the University of California Davis in 1982, and culminated with a Ph.D. in Marine Biology from Scripps Institution of Oceanography in 1986. Prior to his appointment at the University of Hawaiʻi in 2014, Dr. DeLong held professorships at MIT and served as Senior Scientist and Chair of the Science Department at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute.
Dr. DeLong's groundbreaking research has fundamentally transformed our understanding of microbial life in the ocean, most notably through his discovery of rhodopsin-based phototrophy in marine bacteria and the demonstration of the abundance and ecological significance of planktonic Archaea in ocean waters. His pioneering work revealed previously unrecognized mechanisms of energy acquisition in marine microbes, including the identification of specific Archaea lineages involved in the anaerobic oxidation of methane, reshaping our comprehension of biogeochemical cycles in marine environments. By developing and applying innovative genomic, biochemical, and metabolic approaches, he has enabled unprecedented insights into microbial community dynamics across diverse oceanic ecosystems from polar to tropical regions. The impact of his research is evidenced by over 64,000 citations, reflecting the profound influence of his work on the fields of marine science and microbiology.
As co-Director of both the Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education and the Simons Collaboration on Ocean Processes and Ecology, Dr. DeLong has cultivated large-scale collaborative research initiatives that have significantly advanced the field of microbial oceanography. His scholarly excellence has been recognized through election to the National Academy of Sciences in 2008 and receipt of prestigious honors including the A. G. Huntsman Medal for Excellence in Marine Science and the Moore Investigator in Marine Microbiology award. Beyond his research achievements, Dr. DeLong has been instrumental in developing cutting-edge methodologies that combine autonomous robotic sensors with genomic technologies to create high-resolution spatial and temporal maps of microbial community dynamics in situ. His continued leadership and innovative research approaches ensure his enduring influence on the scientific understanding of marine microbial ecosystems and their critical roles in global biogeochemical processes.
