Kevin Arrigo

Kevin Arrigo is the Donald and Donald M. Steel Professor of Earth Sciences at Stanford University's School of Earth Sciences and a Senior Fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment. He has served on the Stanford faculty since 1999, progressing from Assistant Professor in the Department of Geophysics to his current position as Professor in the Department of Earth System Science. Arrigo has held significant leadership roles including Director of the Earth Systems Program and co-director of the Earth Systems Program within the School of Earth Sciences.

Arrigo earned his B.S. in Natural Resources from the University of Michigan in 1983, followed by work with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. He then completed his Ph.D. in Biological Sciences at the University of Southern California in 1992, followed by a postdoctoral position and subsequent civil servant role at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center before joining Stanford.

As a biological oceanographer, Arrigo's research focuses on marine microalgae and their critical role in carbon and nitrogen cycling, particularly in polar oceans. His interdisciplinary approach integrates satellite remote sensing, ecophysiological modeling, and laboratory and field studies to understand phytoplankton dynamics across diverse marine environments from the Southern Ocean to the Red Sea. His work examines how these organisms regulate atmospheric carbon dioxide uptake and structure marine ecosystems in response to environmental changes, past, present, and future.

His extensive publication record demonstrates a consistent focus on polar ocean biogeochemistry, with recent work examining Arctic and Antarctic phytoplankton blooms, carbon and nitrogen cycling, nutrient dynamics, and the impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems. His research frequently combines remote sensing data with field observations and modeling approaches to address questions at scales ranging from cellular processes to basin-wide biogeochemical cycles.

• Antarctic Service Medal, National Science Foundation
• Global Change Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowship, United States Department of Energy
• Frederick E. Terman Fellowship Award, School of Earth Sciences
• School of Earth Sciences Excellence in Teaching Award
• Aldo Leopold Leadership Fellowship, Woods Institute
• Gerhard Caspar University Fellow in Undergraduate Education (2011-2016)
• Group Achievement Award for ICESCAPE, NASA
• Donald & Donald M. Steel Professor in Earth Sciences (2013-present)

Professor Arrigo has advised doctoral students including Stephanie Lim, James Lauer, and Claudette Proctor. He has taught courses on ocean biogeochemistry, global environmental change, satellite remote sensing, numerical ecosystem modeling, and biological oceanography, and co-teaches a field course on coral reef ecology in Australia through Stanford's Overseas Studies Program. His research has been supported by major grants from NASA, NSF, and other organizations focused on polar oceanography and climate change impacts.

Arrigo leads the Ocean Biogeochemistry Group at Stanford, which conducts research on phytoplankton dynamics across diverse marine environments. The group collaborates with scientists across disciplines including molecular biology, glaciology, and physical oceanography to develop comprehensive understandings of marine ecosystem operations and responses to environmental changes. His current research projects include Arctic Ocean Research and Antarctic ecosystem studies, examining how climate change affects marine productivity and biogeochemical cycles in polar regions.