Jeff Bowman

Jeff Bowman is an Assistant Professor and Principal Investigator at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in California. He leads research on microbial ecology and biogeochemistry in Arctic marine environments, with a focus on climate-active gases and ecosystem responses to environmental change. His work is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Research Focus

Bowman investigates microbial controls on climatically active gases in the Central Arctic, addressing critical questions such as:

• Taxonomic identification of microbes producing key gases (e.g., methane)
• Physical drivers of seasonal microbial community succession
• Future impacts of Arctic environmental changes on microbial ecosystems and climate feedbacks

Expedition & Projects

He is currently participating in Leg III of the MOSAiC expedition, managing NSF-funded collaborative research titled: Quantifying microbial controls on the annual cycle of methane and oxygen within the ultraoligotrophic Central Arctic during MOSAiC. His team analyzes microbial population structure, methane dynamics, and net community production.

Bowman cites the unprecedented year-round Arctic microbial data as his primary motivation, despite personal challenges of being away from his two young children.