Carnegie’S Hazen Elected Fellow Of Only Professional Society Dedicated To Origins Of Life Research Washington, DC—Carnegie mineralogist Robert Hazen—who advanced the concept that Earth’s geology was shaped by the rise and sustenance of life—was elected last month a fellow of the International Society for the Study of the Origin of Life – The International Astrobiology Society. It is the only professional society dedicated to origins research and its 500 members represent disciplines ranging from molecular biology to astronomy. Fellows are selected for their “exceptional and sustained contributions” to the field. Hazen pioneered the concept of mineral evolution—linking an explosion in mineral diversity to the rise of life on Earth—and developed the idea of mineral ecology—which analyzes the spatial distribution of the planet’s minerals to predict those that remain undiscovered and to assert Earth’s mineralogical distinctiveness in the cosmos. For 10 years Hazen was also the Executive Director of the Deep Carbon Observatory, an integrated, multidisciplinary project dedicated to probing the chemical and biological roles of carbon in Earth’s interior. He is the author of more than 20 books on science, history, and music, most recently Symphony in C: Carbon and the Evolution of (Almost) Everything. “This recognition of Bob’s creativity and novel approach to studying how Earth’s ability to sustain life has shaped the planet in turn is well deserved,” said Earth and Planets Laboratory Director Richard Carlson. “The collaborative and cross-disciplinary nature of Carnegie has made us a longstanding leader in astrobiology and origins research and Bob’s contributions are an crucial part of that legacy.” Scientific Area: Earth & Planetary Science Reference to Person: Robert Hazen Reference to Department: Earth and Planets Laboratory News Topic: Earth/Planetary Science RESOURCES FOR Employees COVID-19 information for staff Human Resources/Careers Trustees Visitors Media Contacts Anti-Discrimination Policy Equal Employment Opportunity Policy LECTURES & EVENTS Capital Science Evenings, D.C. Neighborhood Lecture Series, D.C. Astronomy Lecture Series, CA SUPPORT OUR WORK Make a Donation How to Give Planned Giving WHO WE ARE About Departments Careers & Internship Archives Contact Privacy Policy DEPARTMENTS Earth and Planets Laboratory Embryology Global Ecology Observatories Plant Biology Copyright 2020 Carnegie Institution for Science, 5251 Broad Branch Road, NW, Washington, DC 20015 P: (202)-387-6400 F: (202)-387-8092