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Woodward Fischer
Woodward Fischer
Professor of Geobiology; Divisional Academic Officer for Geological and Planetary Sciences
Expertise
Photosynthesis, Earth history, oxygen, extinction, carbon cycle, evolution, algae, microbes, fossils
Profile
Fischer studies the coevolution of life and Earth surface environments through diverse and fundamental transitions in Earth history—singularities that forever changed the way in which these partners interact—to understand these transitions mechanistically and in detail.
Languages Spoken
English;
Faculty Bio
B.A., Colorado College, 2000; Ph.D., Harvard University, 2007; D.h.c., Colorado College. Assistant Professor, Caltech, 2009-14; Professor, 2014-; Associate Director, 2018-21; Divisional Academic Officer, 2025-.
Caltech Affiliations
Center for Comparative Planetary Evolution (3CPE), Center for Evolutionary Science, CAST, Mars Science Laboratory (Curiosity), Mars 2020 (Perseverance)
Related News
Many More Bacteria Produce Greenhouse Gases than Previously Thought
June 21, 2024
The discovery of a new class of proteins demonstrates that many types of bacteria can produce the potent greenhouse gas nitrous oxide.
Genetic Engineering Sheds Light on Ancient Evolutionary Questions
January 31, 2023
Caltech researchers model the evolution of a complex bacterial structure in the laboratory.
Life as We Do Not Know It: Astrobiology and the Mars 2020 Mission
February 16, 2021
A conversation with geobiologist Woody Fischer on the possibilities for astrobiological research from the Mars 2020 mission.
Clear as Mud: How Tiny Plants Changed the Planet, 488 Million Years Ago
Read more news
January 28, 2021
A new study explains how the early evolution of tiny plants drastically changed Earth's landscapes from sandy to muddy.