Title: Geomicrobiology Research Group

Group: The Onstott Research Laboratory

Area(s): Geochemistry, Geomicrobiology

Research Summary: Tullis Onstott, a Princeton graduate and professor of geosciences known for his innovative research in several specialties and his explorations of lifeforms deep below the Earth’s surface, died Oct. 19, 2021, in Oracle, Arizona, from complications associated with lung cancer. Grad Student, Zachary K. Garvin, maintains his research laboratory at Guyot Hall. Other advisees, research associate, Renxing Liang, has left the department and Devan M. NIsson obtained her Ph.D. degree in May, 2023.

Tullis Onstott focused his research on subsurface microbial life. This research involves exploration of subsurface microbial ecosystems via mines, drilling, and new underground laboratories, and by quantifying their community structure, function, and activity. His group does this by analyzing metagenomes, metatranscriptomes and metaproteomes, performing stable isotope measurements, and combining geochemical measurements with thermodynamic models.

In Memoriam: geosciences.princeton.edu/about-us/history/memoriam