Stephen Macko

Professor, UVA Department of Environmental Sciences

Stephen A. Macko is a Professor of Isotope and Organic Geochemistry in the Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of Virginia. His areas of interest include marine organic geochemistry, deep ocean communities, meteorites and the Origins of Life as well as K-12 education and outreach. Recent projects of his include studies on chemosynthesis at cold seep sites and hot vents using the Johnson Sea Link and Alvin submersibles for sample acquisition; interpretation of ancient human diet; tracking fires and aerosols from sub-Saharan Africa; establishing the geochemical conditions of the Earth prior to the origins of life and pioneering the broadcast of live interactive classes between Africa and the USA. His laboratory is featured in King Corn, a documentary on the influence of corn on the lives of North Americans, which opened at Independent theaters in New York and Washington in October, 2007 and appeared on PBS in April, 2008.