Michael Philben

Dr. Michael Philben is an Associate Professor of Chemistry and Geological and Environmental Science at Hope College, where he joined in 2019 after postdoctoral positions at Memorial University (Canada) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. His research focuses on climate-carbon cycle feedbacks in vulnerable ecosystems, particularly peatlands and Arctic tundra.

His educational background includes a Ph.D. in Marine Science from the University of South Carolina (2014) and a B.A. in Earth and Planetary Science from Northwestern University (2010). At Hope College, he teaches Environmental Science courses and contributes to the Day1: Watershed program.

Philben's research centers on carbon and nitrogen cycling in ecosystems containing vast organic carbon stocks. He leads an NSF CAREER-funded project investigating Michigan peat bogs as natural laboratories for climate change impacts, using a north-south transect from Portage to Newberry as a 'space-for-time' experiment. His work examines methane emissions, nitrogen availability, and net carbon balance under warming conditions, with particular attention to Sphagnum-dominated peatlands at the southern edge of their climate range.

His 15 most recent publications (2020-2024) reveal a strong focus on peatland biogeochemistry, with increasing emphasis on methane dynamics, nitrogen cycling, and the role of specific biochemical compounds like sphagnan. The research combines field measurements across climate gradients with laboratory experiments, often involving Hope College students in all project phases.

• NSF CAREER Award for peatland climate research

Philben actively mentors undergraduate researchers through the Philben Research Group, which investigates how warming impacts carbon cycling in peatlands. His projects involve interdisciplinary work spanning analytical chemistry, geology, and ecology. The group maintains a network of seven Michigan peat bog field sites and collaborates on international research, including Arctic studies in Alaska and Canada.

His laboratory focuses on using analytical chemistry tools to predict climate-carbon cycle feedbacks, with particular attention to southern Michigan peatlands as sentinels for larger northern peatland complexes. The research group employs techniques including greenhouse gas flux measurements, radiometric dating of peat cores, and analysis of organic matter composition.