JILL BANFIELD

University of California Berkeley

Ph.D. 1990, Johns Hopkins University

Research

Mineralogy, environmental geochemistry, geomicrobiology, and nanogeoscience.

In my research group we study interactions between microorganisms and minerals, especially the impact of microorganisms on mineral weathering and crystal growth, biomineralization, and geochemical
cycling.

Topics of current interest include microbial controls on silicate, phosphate, and sulfide mineral dissolution (especially acid mine drainage formation and remediation), the impact of microorganisms on geochemical cycling of nutrients and metals in pristine and contaminated environments, and the application of molecular biological (including genomic) analyses to understand the biochemical pathways that underpin biogeochemical processes, microbial community structure and function, and microbial evolution. We also work on NASA astrobiology-related research through study of mineralogical biosignatures.

Other current research focuses on the thermodynamics and kinetic behavior of nanocrystalline materials produced by biomineralization and mineral weathering reactions.  Specifically, we work on the size-dependence of crystal structure, phase stability, crystal growth and phase transformation kinetics, adsorption, and microstructure development.

For details:

please link to our research pages

Teaching

I teach a number of graduate and undergraduate courses, including mineralogy, crystal chemistry, geomicrobiology, analytical techniques, gemology, an undergraduate field course, and seminars.

The course "Gems and Gem Materials" is taught in on-line format for credit. The course is designed for non-science majors. The course materials are freely available for pubic use.

Biographical

I was born in Armidale, NSW, Australia. I completed my undergraduate and MS degrees at the Australian National University. My PhD research was carried out under the supervision of Prof. David Veblen at Johns Hopkins University (1990). I spent 11.5 years as an Assistant, Associate, and Full Professor at UW Madison (1990 - 2001).  However, I was on leave of absence for two of these years (1996 - 1998) while I was employed as an Associate and Full Professor in the Mineralogical Institute at The University of Tokyo.  In 2002 I moved to the University of California Berkeley, where I am now a Professor in the Departments of Earth and Planetary Science and Environmental Science, Policy, and Management.  I am in the geochemistry group at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Vitae

Personal

Books and Recent Publications

Books

Mineralogical Society of America Short Courses The MSA-GC Short Course: MOLECULAR GEOMICROBIOLOGY

will be held in Berkeley just prior to AGU. For details see: the course descripition

The MSA shortcourse: GEOMICROBIOLOGY : Interactions between microbes and minerals

was held in Alta, Utah, in October, 1997. This was convened by myself and Ken Nealson.

The MSA shortcourse NANOPARTICLES AND THE ENVIRONMNET, convened by Alexandra Navrotsky and myself, was held at UC Davis in December 2001.

These shortcourse volumes are available from the MSA business office.
 

Recent publications

Students and other group members

Contact details

E-mail jill@seismo.berkeley.edu

Telephone 510 642 9488 - Berkeley

Fax: 510 643 9980