Spormann elected fellow of American Academy of Microbiology

Alfred Spormann, a professor of civil and environmental engineering and of chemical engineering, has been elected a fellow the American Academy of Microbiology, in recognition of his significant contributions to the field of microbiology.

Spormann studies anaerobic microbes to understand the molecular and biochemical basis of unusual metabolism, as well as the triangular relationship between metabolism, population-level fitness, and ecosystems-level niche construction. In particular, Spormann has been working to develop microbes able to produce “clean” methane as a potential grid-scale electrical storage technology.

The American Academy of Microbiology is an honorific leadership group within the American Society for Microbiology, the world's oldest and largest life science organization. Its mission is to recognize scientists for outstanding contributions to microbiology and provide microbiological expertise in the service of science and the public.