Assoc. Prof. Jack Gilbert, a microbial ecologist at UChicago and Argonne National Laboratory, has been named one of Popular Science’s “Brilliant 10” for his environmental and biomedical-focused research as part of the magazine’s 15th annual awards list.
The Brilliant 10 are a group of 10 researchers under 40 who have made revolutionary contributions to their fields. In order to arrive at the Brilliant 10, Popular Science combs through hundreds of nominations from around the country and vets the most promising candidates with experts working in those fields.
“This is a well-deserved honor for Jack, who is a leader in Argonne’s life science initiatives,” said Peter Littlewood, director of Argonne National Laboratory. “Jack’s work continues to transform our knowledge of the microbial diversity of our planet, which in turn could revolutionize what we know about the evolving health of all living things. His research is vital to Argonne’s ongoing efforts to understand how humans affect the world they live in, and vice-versa.”
Gilbert’s work has pioneered several styles of collaborative research and interaction that have fostered significant advances in both environmental and biomedical research. He deals with research problems by engaging widely across research disciplines, working with architects, clinicians, psychologists, biochemists, climate researchers, government policymakers and the public to provide groundbreaking research that defies typical boundaries.
Gilbert’s multidisciplinary background also enables him to blend fields to identify novel solutions to complex problems that impact the biomedical, agricultural, zoological, climatological and environmental sciences. As a microbiologist and a prolific collaborator, he aims to elucidate microbial ecological mechanisms to target the development of translational tools to improve medicine, bioremediation, novel architectural and city planning design, and even fundamental science. Gilbert’s work has led to significant advances in our understanding of the longitudinal and spatial ecology of bacteria in many different ecosystems, including oceans, soils, humans, and even buildings.
—Story first appeared on Argonne National Laboratory website
—Prof. Kunle Odunsi
