David Hutchins

David Hutchins is Professor of Biological Sciences and holder of the George and Louise Kawamoto Chair in Biological Sciences at the University of Southern California (USC Dornsife College). He previously served on the faculty at the University of Delaware (Assistant → Associate → full Professor of Oceanography, 1996–2007) and was a post-doctoral researcher at SUNY Stony Brook.

Education

• Ph.D. Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz (1994)
• M.S. Biology, Portland State University (1989)
• B.S. Biology, Portland State University (1987)
• Post-doctoral training, SUNY Stony Brook (1994–1995)

Research focus centres on phytoplankton biology and biogeochemical oceanography in the context of global change. Using laboratory and field experiments his group examines how ocean acidification, warming and de-oxygenation affect microbial communities from the tropics to polar seas. Key topics include nitrogen fixation by cyanobacteria, trace-metal (especially iron) limitation, the cellular stoichiometry of nutrient cycles, and the increasing prevalence of harmful algal blooms. Cutting-edge tools span physiology, biochemistry, ‘omics and experimental evolution, while new collaborations with Earth-system modellers seek to integrate these findings into global climate projections.

Recent publications (2022-2024) highlight feedback loops between phytoplankton and nutrient cycles under warming, silicon sequestration driven by acidification, and distinct adaptive strategies of diazotrophic cyanobacteria to temperature stress—demonstrating a trajectory from cellular mechanisms to ecosystem-scale consequences.

Honours and awards

• John Martin Award, ASLO (2023)
• George and Louise Kawamoto Chair in Biological Sciences (2021)
• Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (2018)
• Sustaining Fellow, ASLO (2015)
• NSF Antarctic Service Medal (2011)

Funding & leadership Over his career Hutchins has secured >US$20 million in competitive grants from NSF, Sea Grant, the Moore Foundation and others, spanning studies of CO₂ impacts on nitrogen fixers, harmful algal bloom toxicity, and trace-metal biogeochemistry. He has led major multi-institutional projects such as the NSF “Evolution and Climate Change in the Ocean” (ECCO) initiative and served as Marine Environmental Biology Section Head at USC (2012-2013).

Laboratory & teams The Hutchins Laboratory at USC comprises post-docs, graduate students and technicians working at the interface of microbial ecology and global change. The group maintains active field programmes in the Pacific and Southern Oceans and collaborates closely with Earth-system modellers, remote-sensing scientists and public-health researchers to forecast climate-driven changes in marine ecosystems and their societal impacts.