ASLO honors Elizabeth B. Kujawinski with the 2024 G. Evelyn Hutchinson Award

Woods Hole, Mass. -- Each year, the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO) honors scientists for their outstanding achievements in aquatic science research, service, and education. The G. Evelyn Hutchinson Award recognizes a mid-career scientist who has made considerable contributions to knowledge in limnology or oceanography, and whose future work promises a continued legacy of scientific excellence. The 2024 Hutchinson Award is being presented to Dr. Elizabeth B. Kujawinski for her groundbreaking research in marine chemistry and marine metabolomics and her unwavering commitment to service and leadership in the ocean science community. Dr. Kujawinski will accept the award at the upcoming 2024 Ocean Sciences Meeting in New Orleans, LA, USA (18-23 February 2024).

Dr. Elizabeth B. Kujawinski is a Senior Scientist in the Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry Department at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Recognized by her peers as a world leader in the emerging field of environmental metabolomics, Dr. Kujawinski’s research and contributions to methodological developments have transformed our understanding of the molecules that mediate ocean biogeochemical processes. Dr. Kujawinski pioneered and refined the use of ultrahigh resolution mass spectroscopy to measure dissolved organic carbon and other small organic compounds to better understand the ocean’s chemical signatures. Dr. Kujawinski’s work goes beyond chemical characterization of novel compounds and has elucidated numerous biological implications of these compounds. Kujawinski’s technological advancements have also been applied to study the impacts of the chemical dispersants used in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Her impressive publication record includes two influential review articles, one on the microbial impact of dissolved organic matter and another on the first decade of research on the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

In addition to her research, Dr. Kujawinski is an active leader in the marine science community, most recently through her role as Director of the Center for Chemical Currencies of a Microbial Planet, a National Science Foundation-funded Science and Technology Center. She has served on a variety of local, national, and international committees and panels and has been a Chief Scientist on numerous expeditions. Dr. Kujawinski is also dedicated to broadening participation in aquatic science, establishing a post-baccalaureate fellows program to foster diverse entryways into a science career.

Dr. Pat Glibert, ASLO President, says, “Dr. Kujawinski is an exemplary ocean scientist whose impact on the field and promise of continued excellence are exceptional. It is exciting and fitting that ASLO will be presenting the Hutchinson Award to Dr. Kujawinski at the Ocean Sciences Meeting, one of the largest gatherings of the ocean science community in the world.”

The remaining six ASLO Awards for 2024 are expected to be announced in early March and will be presented at the 2024 ASLO Summer Meeting in Madison, WI, USA (2-7 June 2024).

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About the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography

ASLO is an international aquatic science society that was founded in 1948. For more than 70 years, it has been the leading professional organization for researchers and educators in the field of aquatic science. The purpose of ASLO is to foster a diverse, international scientific community that creates, integrates and communicates knowledge across the full spectrum of aquatic sciences, advances public awareness and education about aquatic resources and research, and promotes scientific stewardship of aquatic resources for the public interest. Its products and activities are directed toward these ends. With more than 3,800 members worldwide, the society has earned an outstanding reputation and is best known for its journals, interdisciplinary meetings, and special symposia. For more information about ASLO, please visit our website at www.ASLO.org.

About Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) is a private, non-profit organization on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, dedicated to marine research, engineering, and higher education. Established in 1930, its mission is to understand the ocean and its interactions with the Earth as a whole, and to communicate an understanding of the ocean’s role in the changing global environment. WHOI’s pioneering discoveries stem from an ideal combination of science and engineering—one that has made it one of the most trusted and technically advanced leaders in fundamental and applied ocean research and exploration anywhere. WHOI is known for its multidisciplinary approach, superior ship operations, and unparalleled deep-sea robotics capabilities. We play a leading role in ocean observation and operate the most extensive suite of ocean data-gathering platforms in the world. Top scientists, engineers, and students collaborate on more than 800 concurrent projects worldwide—both above and below the waves—pushing the boundaries of knowledge to inform people and policies for a healthier planet. Learn more at whoi.edu.