Jill Banfield

Dr. Jill Banfield is a highly influential Canadian-American geomicrobiologist who currently holds a professorship at the University of California, Berkeley. Her pioneering work operates at the intersection of geology, chemistry, and microbiology.

She is a pioneer in the field of environmental genomics, significantly advancing our understanding of how microbes interact with minerals and metals. Her research dramatically shifted the fields of biogeochemistry and microbial ecology by demonstrating how microbes drive geochemical changes in the environment.

While studying acid mine drainage, her research team discovered highly unusual, ultra-small bacteria that defied standard biological classifications. This discovery eventually led to the identification of an entirely new major branch on the tree of life, informally dubbed the candidate phyla radiation.

Yes, her groundbreaking work earned her a prestigious MacArthur "Genius" Fellowship in 1999. She has also been elected to the National Academy of Sciences and received the Benjamin Franklin Medal in Earth and Environmental Science.