BioE Prof. Michelle A. O’Malley Invested as the Cliff R. Scholle Endowed Chair in Chemical Engineering
As part of the ceremony Professor O'Malley gave a talk on harnessing extreme microbes for Biotechnology.
In honor of her many academic and research accomplishments, Professor Michelle A. O’Malley was invested as the Cliff R. Scholle Endowed Chair in Chemical Engineering on November 18, 2024. Professor O’Malley, who holds a joint appointment in the Department of Bioengineering and is the director of the NSF center ExFAB, presented her pioneering research on extreme microbes which addresses critical challenges in biotechnology and has transformative implications for healthcare, environmental protection, and sustainability. In the talk, Prof. O’Malley discussed her collective research projects aimed at “domesticating” environmental microbes, with a focus on engineering anaerobes that work together in complex communities to decompose and recycle carbon biomass throughout the Earth - from our guts to landfills and compost piles. Her groundbreaking work has earned her accolades from renowned platforms such as NPR’s Science Friday, BBC Newshour, and MIT Technology Review.
This endowed chair was made possible through the generosity of Cliff R. Scholle, an esteemed alumni of UCSB who earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Geology. With over 30 years of experience as an air quality scientist, Scholle was a trailblazer in environmental consulting, contributing to groundbreaking research and impact evaluations across the western United States. His commitment to advancing science and sustainability resonates deeply with the innovative spirit of Professor O’Malley’s work.
Professor Michelle A. O'Malley Bioengineering and Ex-Fab profiles:
https://bioengineering.ucsb.edu/people/faculty/michelle-omalley
https://exfab.org/people/leadership/michelle-omalley
