Professor David Valentine describes his interests as “microbes, molecules and their milieu.” It’s a multifaceted topic for a man with many interests at the interface of microbiology, chemistry and Earth science. He’s particularly renowned for his work on the ecology of offshore oil seeps and other interactions between biology and hydrocarbons.



Now, the American Academy for Microbiology has selected Valentine as one of its 2021 fellows. This distinction “recognizes excellence, originality, service and leadership in the microbial sciences.” Academy fellows, eminent leaders in their discipline, “are relied upon for authoritative advice and insight on critical issues in microbiology.”



“It's a great honor for me to be elected a fellow of AAM,” said Valentine, who holds the Norris Presidential Chair in Earth Science. “Most of the elected fellows in my class are medical microbiologists. I am a professor of Earth science, which makes it all the more special in a year dominated by a virus.”