Announcement: EES Seminar (May 15, 5:00 PM–6:00 PM, Introduction of New Faculty Member: Dr. Chie Amano, Associate Professor)

We are pleased to announce that the EES Seminar will be held on Friday, May 15, from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM, as detailed below. The speaker will be Dr. Chie Amano, who joined the Group of Marine and Atmospheric Geochemistry in the Section of Earth System Science on April 1 as an Associate Professor. We look forward to your participation.

Date and Time: Friday, May 15, 2026, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Venue: Room D101, Faculty of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University
Speaker: Dr. Chie Amano (Associate Professor, Group of Marine and Atmospheric Geochemistry, Section of Earth System Science, Faculty of Environmental Earth Science)
Title: How Do Marine Microbes Survive in the Deep Ocean? Linking Metabolic Activity to Biogeochemical Cycles
Language: Japanese (Q&A can be made in English)

Abstract:
Microbial metabolism is fundamental to sustaining biogeochemical cycles on Earth. In the ocean, degradation and remineralization of organic matter by microbes support primary production, thereby fueling marine food webs and ecosystems. Moreover, in the deep pelagic realm, microbial heterotrophic and autotrophic metabolisms influence the residence time of carbon and shape the global marine carbon cycle. So, how do marine microbes survive in this energy-poor environment, and how do they contribute to biogeochemical cycles? In this seminar, I will share recent research findings on microbial activity in deep pelagic environments, based on measurements of heterotrophic production and dark carbon fixation.