Michael Behrenfeld

Michael Behrenfeld is a Professor in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology at Oregon State University, with research spanning marine phytoplankton ecology, remote sensing, and ocean biogeochemistry. He is affiliated with OSU's College of Agricultural Sciences and leads a research group focused on understanding ocean productivity through satellite observations and field studies.

His research interests include the physiological ecology of marine algae, photosynthesis, carbon cycling, and the use of satellite remote sensing to monitor global ocean ecosystems. He integrates optical methods, modeling, and field data to study how phytoplankton respond to environmental changes, including climate variability and ocean stratification.

His recent publications show a strong focus on satellite-based ocean color, phytoplankton photoacclimation, aerosol-ocean interactions, and the development of algorithms for NASA missions like PACE and ICESat-2. His work frequently appears in high-impact journals such as Science, Nature, and Global Biogeochemical Cycles, reflecting his leadership in marine biospheric remote sensing.

• NASA Group Achievement Award for NAAMES (2020)
• NASA Group Achievement Award – NAAMES Science Team (2019)
• F. E. Price/Agricultural Research Foundation Award for Excellence in Research (2014)

Behrenfeld advises graduate students and collaborates with researchers like Nicholas Baetge, Toby Westberry, and Jason Graff. He has secured significant NASA funding for projects related to the PACE mission and ICESat-2, aiming to improve estimates of global phytoplankton productivity. His lab contributes to understanding how ocean ecosystems respond to climate change and how these responses can be monitored from space.

He is actively involved in developing satellite algorithms for net primary production and studying the vertical structure of phytoplankton communities using Bio-Argo floats and lidar data. His research group plays a key role in advancing the science behind ocean color remote sensing and its application to global change biology.