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Benjamin Paul Neal
Contact Information:
Scripps Photobiology Group |
I am a marine biologist interested in applications of marine primary production to carbon emission reduction and creating carbon-neutral, second-generation (non-food based), domestic renewable liquid transportation fuels. In short – how to make algae into green biodiesel. Specifically I am working on optimization and modeling of lipid yields for bioenergy production of Dunaliella tertiolecta through environmental manipulation and metabolic pathway identification. This research has potential application to addressing future reductions in available fossil petroleum, national security issues related to imported fuel supplies, global climate change driven by carbon emissions, and recent increases in world commodity food prices (through by-product creation of an alternative high quality protein source). My two co-advising faculty are Dr. Greg Mitchell and Dr. Steve Mayfield
Education:
BA Geography and Environmental Sciences
Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire
MS Marine Biology
The Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UCSD, La Jolla, CA
Links:
Scripps Photobiology Group: http://spg.ucsd.edu
Other Interests:
I enjoy spending time on the water sailing my 1956 37’ yawl, surfing, diving, and fishing.