{"id":18955,"date":"2024-03-19T13:45:18","date_gmt":"2024-03-19T20:45:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/?p=18955"},"modified":"2024-03-19T15:05:38","modified_gmt":"2024-03-19T22:05:38","slug":"jan-amend-obituary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/jan-amend-obituary\/","title":{"rendered":"USC Dornsife mourns loss of Jan Amend, visionary scientist who helped forge geobiochemistry field"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n    \n                                          \n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--article-hero \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--article-hero\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n<div class=\"inner-wrapper\">\n          \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img\n                            data-src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/03\/amend_obit_top-768x432.png\"\n          data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/03\/amend_obit_top-1920x1080.png 1920w,https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/03\/amend_obit_top-1280x720.png 1280w,https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/03\/amend_obit_top-768x432.png 768w\"          data-sizes=\"(min-width:1200px) 75vw, (min-width:768px) 83vw, 100vw\"          class=\"lazyload\"\n        \n                  role=\"none\"\n        \n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n  \n\n<\/div>\n  \n      <div class=\"image-caption\">\n          \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  A brilliant scientist, Jan Amend was renowned as a leader, researcher, mentor and collaborator. (Photo: Mike Glier.)\n\n\n<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  \n  <div class=\"text-wrapper\">\n          <nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\" class=\"breadcrumbs\">\n        <ul>\n                      <li><a href=\"\/news\/stories\/\">News<\/a><\/li>\n                      <li><a href=\"\/news\/stories\/\/?category=faculty\">Faculty<\/a><\/li>\n                  <\/ul>\n      <\/nav>\n    \n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--page-title\">\n\n    \n  <h1>USC Dornsife mourns loss of Jan Amend, visionary scientist who helped forge geobiochemistry field<\/h1>\n\n\n<\/div>\n    \n          <div class=\"subtitle\">\n            \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  From studying arsenic-eating organisms to exploring the depths of a South Dakota gold mine, USC Dornsife Divisional Dean for the Life Sciences Jan Amend\u2019s quest to discover the limits of life knew no bounds.\n\n\n<\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    \n           <strong class=\"author-field\"><span >By<\/span><a href=\"mailto:communication@dornsife.usc.edu\">Susan Bell<\/a><\/strong>\n    \n          <span class=\"post-date-field\">March 19, 2024<\/span>\n      <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--social-share \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--social-share\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"content-wrapper\">\n    <span class=\"a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list\" style=\"line-height: 32px;\">\n      <span class=\"title\">\n        Share\n      <\/span>\n                        <a class=\"a2a_button_copy_link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/#copy_link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"Link\">\n            <span class=\"a2a_svg a2a_s__default a2a_s_copy_link\">\n              <svg height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 19 19\" width=\"19\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m7.43475275 9.52380952-2.17490843 2.26076008c-1.08745421 1.058837-1.68841575 2.518315-1.68841575 4.0350275 0 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xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m8.14285714 9.42857143c-.17142857 0-.34285714 0-.51428571.08571428l7.28571427 6.34285719c.3428572.2571428.6857143.2571428.9428572 0l7.2857142-6.34285719c-.0857142-.08571428-.2571428-.08571428-.4285714-.08571428zm-1.28571428 1.11428567v.1714286 8.5714286c0 .6857143.6 1.2857143 1.28571428 1.2857143h14.57142856c.6857143 0 1.2857143-.6 1.2857143-1.2857143v-8.5714286c0-.0857143 0-.0857143 0-.1714286l-7.2 6.3428572c-.7714286.6857143-1.8857143.6857143-2.6571429 0z\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" transform=\"translate(-6 -9)\"\/><\/svg>\n            <\/span>\n            <span class=\"a2a_label visually-hidden\">Email<\/span>\n          <\/a>\n                  <\/span>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n \n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <p>Jan Amend, divisional dean for the life sciences and professor of Earth sciences and biological sciences at USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, passed away unexpectedly on Feb. 1 at his home in Palos Verdes, Los Angeles. He was 59.<\/p>\n<p>Renowned as a leader, researcher, mentor and collaborator, Amend brought his passion for probing the energetic interplay between life and its environment to USC Dornsife in 2011 and leaves behind an indelible legacy of scientific discovery and cross-disciplinary partnerships.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_18949\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18949\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-18949\" src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/03\/instorya-500x333.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/03\/instorya-500x333.png 500w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/03\/instorya-768x512.png 768w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/03\/instorya-900x600.png 900w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/03\/instorya.png 980w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-18949\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Amend traveled to extreme environments in his quest to uncover the limits of life. (Photos: Courtesy of Andrea Amend.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In support of NASA\u2019s mission for life detection and habitability on Mars and as leader of a <a href=\"https:\/\/astrobiology.nasa.gov\/nai\/\">NASA Astrobiology Institute<\/a>\u00a0based at USC Dornsife, Amend was at the forefront of exploring life in extreme conditions, shedding light on the potential for life beyond Earth. He also sought to understand the origins and subsurface operations of life on our own planet.<\/p>\n<p>In pursuit of these questions, Amend assembled teams that brought together geochemists, geologists, and microbiologists to combine laboratory experimentation with fieldwork in extreme environments. This collaborative approach led them from the depths of a repurposed gold mine in South Dakota to the expansive biosphere beneath the ocean&#8217;s surface.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHis science was unique and constitutes a fundamental shift in our understanding of the thermodynamics of life in the environment,\u201d said Frank Corsetti, chair of the department of Earth sciences. \u201cJan was also a tremendous advocate and facilitator for countless scientists as well as the field of geobiology. He facilitated the growth of geobiology across the globe.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Among Amend\u2019s many scientific achievements was the research he conducted that helped to reveal the many different ways that microbes could get energy depending on their environment \u2014 and how much they could obtain in each case. Working with Doug LaRowe, associate (research) professor of Earth Sciences, Amend showed that microbes could survive on very low fluxes of energy, challenging existing notions of life\u2019s limits.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhile humans combine food with the oxygen that we breathe in a reaction to get energy, microbes are capable of obtaining energy from a far wider \u2014 and weirder \u2014 set of reactions,\u201d explained LaRowe. \u201cFor instance, Jan worked with organisms that can eat and breathe arsenic.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In his capacity as USC Dornsife\u2019s divisional dean for the life sciences, Amend was instrumental in recruiting eminent faculty, solidifying USC Dornsife\u2019s position as a leading global center of marine microbiology and marine ecology. His energy and dedication to his leadership role extended beyond his own areas of research and was exemplified by his successful recruitment of\u00a0 distinguished faculty across multiple departments in the life sciences, including biological sciences, quantitative and computational biology, and psychology. His leadership of the National Science Foundation Science and Technology <a href=\"https:\/\/www.darkenergybiosphere.org\/about-our-center\/introduction\/\">Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations<\/a> (C-DEBI) was instrumental in fostering cutting-edge research into the deep subsurface biosphere.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJan was a brilliant scientist and a generous and beloved mentor who was known for bringing out the best in teams of colleagues and students,\u201d said USC Dornsife Dean Amber D. Miller. \u201cHe was also a talented and cherished member of my senior leadership team who played a key role in advancing our core mission of academic excellence. I particularly miss his warmth, quick wit, and sage advice. His absence leaves an unfillable void, but the lasting influence that he has had on countless colleagues and students will live on.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Inspired to honor<\/h2>\n<p>Amend was born in Montreal on June 2, 1964, to German parents Gerda (n\u00e9e Laue), a seamstress, and J\u00fcrgen Amend, a shipping company executive. They moved when Amend was 3 to a small town outside Hamburg, Germany, where he played soccer and visited his uncle\u2019s vegetable farm, a place Amend adored.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_18951\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18951\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/03\/instoryc.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-18951\" src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/03\/instoryc-500x453.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"272\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/03\/instoryc-500x453.png 500w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/03\/instoryc-768x696.png 768w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/03\/instoryc.png 980w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-18951\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The baptismal letter, handwritten in German, from Amend&#8217;s paternal grandfather Wilhem Amend, urging his grandson to live a good life. (Photo: Susan Bell.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>When Amend was 12, the family moved to California, where they settled in the L.A. neighborhood of Palos Verdes, within sight of the ocean and just a couple of miles from where Amend would eventually return to live with his own family. The transition was initially challenging for Amend and his older sister, Meike, both of whom spoke very little English then.<\/p>\n<p>He arrived in the US with not only a burgeoning passion for science and soccer but also the profound influence of his family\u2019s history. His treasured possession, a baptismal letter from his paternal grandfather \u2014 who bravely opposed Nazi ideology during WWII \u2014 was a call to live a life of honor.<\/p>\n<p>The letter, written just after Amend was born, conveyed his grandfather\u2019s hope for a future generation to redeem Germany\u2019s honor by living good lives. This message resonated deeply with Amend, as his wife, Andrea Amend, attested. She reflected that his life of integrity, generosity, and compassion indeed lived up to his grandfather\u2019s aspirations and would have filled him with pride.<\/p>\n<p>USC Dornsife\u2019s Moh El-Naggar, divisional dean for the physical sciences and mathematics, echoed this testament to Amend\u2019s character.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJan somehow brought both warmth and exceptionally high standards to everything he said and did,\u201d said El-Naggar. \u201cThis was the foundation of his tremendous accomplishments as a scientist, academic leader and mentor. He cared for, challenged and lifted all of us who worked closely with him.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>A stellar scientist<\/h2>\n<p>A first-generation college student, Amend graduated with a BA in chemistry from the University of California, San Diego, in 1987. After spending a year as a laboratory assistant in a chemical plant in Germany \u2014 an experience that convinced him that a career in chemistry was not for him \u2014 he realized his true calling lay in academia. He applied to the University of California, Berkeley to study geochemistry, earning his PhD in 1995.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_18953\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18953\" style=\"width: 250px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-18953\" src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/03\/instorye-399x550.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"250\" height=\"344\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/03\/instorye-399x550.png 399w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/03\/instorye-743x1024.png 743w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/03\/instorye-768x1058.png 768w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/03\/instorye.png 980w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-18953\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">As a pioneer in geobiology \u2014 a field he facilitated worldwide \u2014 Amend was at the forefront of exploring the limits of life in extreme conditions.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Amend\u2019s time at UC Berkeley proved seminal. Not only did he meet his future wife, also a chemistry major, but his career-long research focus on energy was sparked there.<\/p>\n<p>Amend\u2019s early research involved unraveling the intricacies of how rocks, minerals, and water interact energetically under varying conditions of temperature and pressure. Discussions with his larger-than-life doctoral advisor Harold \u201cHal\u201d Helgeson, a pioneering theoretical geochemist, and Everett Shock, the geochemist who became Amend\u2019s mentor, led to some groundbreaking ideas. Together, they pondered a radical possibility: could microorganisms be actively shaping these mineral-water interactions to harness energy?<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis was a novel, mind-blowing concept, the blending of biology and geology at a time when biologists worked in their realm and geologists in theirs,\u201d Andrea Amend said. \u201cThe field of biogeochemistry was born.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In a seminal publication, Amend and his mentor Shock presented a compelling case that microbes dwelling in seafloor hydrothermal systems might be capable of synthesizing amino acids \u2014 the essential components of proteins \u2014 without expending energy. This finding suggested a remarkable efficiency in the biochemical processes of these organisms and hinted at a broader potential for life in extreme environments.<\/p>\n<p>Emboldened by the insights gained through his computational research at Berkeley, Amend ventured into the field to put theory into practice. His hands-on approach to collecting fluid and microbial samples led to breakthroughs beyond the digital realm, including the identification of previously unknown microbial species. This transition from computational models to direct fieldwork exemplified Amend\u2019s dedication to comprehensive scientific inquiry.<\/p>\n<p>Shortly after his marriage in 1995, Amend embarked on a journey that would mark the beginning of a pivotal phase in his career. With an NSF-NATO postdoctoral fellowship in hand, he and his wife set off for the University of Palermo, Italy. While in the uncharted terrains of Sicily and the Aeolian Islands, he sought to uncover the secrets of life in extreme environments, meticulously collecting samples, cultivating microbes, and performing analyses on the water and minerals. His rigorous scientific pursuits aimed to unravel which reactions the microbes were using to fuel their existence and quantify the energy they derived from these processes.<\/p>\n<p>After his time in Sicily, Amend undertook\u00a0postdoctoral work with Shock, moving from Washington University in St. Louis to the University of Washington, Seattle and then back again. They continued working together there for many years, building labs and mentoring students in biogeochemistry as they continued to integrate geochemistry and microbiology. Amend remained at WashU for 14 years, becoming a tenured professor before joining USC Dornsife.<\/p>\n<h2>\u201cA force for good\u201d<\/h2>\n<p>At USC Dornsife, Amend was known not only for his impressive research, but also for his exceptional ability to forge connections, fostering cross-disciplinary collaborations within USC, across academia, and with industry. His reputation as a generous and dedicated mentor was equally notable, marked by a sincere interest and investment in others and their ideas.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJan really perfected being a cheerleader and giving you the advice that you needed to hear, even if you didn\u2019t want to hear it,\u201d said Annette Rowe, a former postdoctoral fellow with C-DEBI and now assistant professor of biological sciences at the University of Cincinnati, Ohio.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe was such a genuine person; you had no choice but to take what he said to heart and learn and grow from it. And his self-deprecating sense of humor always softened the blow.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Amend also served as a long-standing mentor to former USC Dornsife postdoctoral fellow Maggie Osburn. Now an associate professor of geobiology at Northwestern University, Osburn remembers Amend as \u201ca force for good\u201d within the biogeoscience community.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA truly unique aspect of his temperament was that he approached all scientists as both colleagues and friends. There was no wall of formality; Jan wanted to know both your science and you as a person,\u201d she said. \u201cAs a mentor, Jan was the perfect balance between high expectations and empowering people to do what they do well.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Avid sportsman<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_18946\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18946\" style=\"width: 250px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-18946\" src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/03\/instoryf-399x550.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"250\" height=\"344\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/03\/instoryf-399x550.png 399w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/03\/instoryf-743x1024.png 743w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/03\/instoryf-768x1058.png 768w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/03\/instoryf.png 980w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-18946\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A keen, life-long sportsman, Amend rowed crew for UC San Diego as an undergraduate.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Amend nurtured an enduring love of the ocean. As a skilled scientific diver, he explored diverse aquatic sites from Papua New Guinea to the Mediterranean, collecting microbe samples in their natural habitats. At home in California, he enjoyed swimming, snorkeling, boogie boarding and cycling along the beach from Palos Verdes to Malibu.<\/p>\n<p>A passionate, lifelong soccer fan, Amend and his wife traveled to 30 states in 30 days to follow the German national team during the 1994 World Cup.<\/p>\n<p>Amend\u2019s enthusiasm for sports extended beyond spectating. He played soccer and tennis, enjoyed skiing and running, and even rowed crew at UC San Diego, committing to a diet to join the more competitive lightweight team. In later years, he competed in two Half Ironmans, hiked the Five Peak Challenge in Boulder and participated in the Triple Bypass Ride, both in Colorado.<\/p>\n<p>After his vigorous morning exercise routine, he would jump into his beloved British Racing Green Mini Cooper Convertible to drive to campus, always insisting \u2014 despite passengers\u2019 protests on chillier days \u2014 on keeping the top down to make the most of the California sunshine.<\/p>\n<p>Amend\u2019s boundless energy and drive extended to his work at USC, said Kenneth Nealson, emeritus professor of Earth Sciences. \u201cOn top of being a dean, he ran a lab, taught courses and directed both the C-DEBI and the NASA Astrobiology programs,\u201d Nealson said. \u201cHe never seemed to run out of energy and he was just so good at it all.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>An outstanding colleague \u2014 and human<\/h2>\n<p>Throughout his life, Amend\u2019s thoughtfulness, generosity and kindness were exemplified in ways large and small. He was a believer in the German concept of \u201cVorfreude\u201d \u2014 joyful anticipation.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_18947\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18947\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-18947\" src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/03\/instoryg-500x333.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/03\/instoryg-500x333.png 500w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/03\/instoryg-768x512.png 768w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/03\/instoryg-900x600.png 900w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/03\/instoryg.png 980w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-18947\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jan and Andrea Amend visit a lighthouse in northern Germany with their children, Emma and Finn.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>His wife remembers the tremendous pleasure he took in buying fresh strawberries every Wednesday and bringing them to the USC Dornsife dean\u2019s suite, where he would discreetly place them in the kitchen for staff and visitors to enjoy. She said her husband loved to peek into the room after a meeting, see a dent in the fruit bowl and know the enjoyment his gift was giving to others.<\/p>\n<p>Joe Arvai, Dana and David Dornsife Chair, professor of psychology and biological sciences and director of the Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability, emphasized that it was these human qualities of thoughtfulness and willingness to share time that made Amend such an outstanding colleague.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe was someone I could talk with about what was happening outside of work, and he helped me make sense of the world \u2014 and our place in it,\u201d Arvai said.<\/p>\n<p>Amend is survived by his wife, Andrea; his children, Emma and Finn; his sister, Meike Wanberg; and his mother, Gerda Amend.<\/p>\n<p>USC Dornsife is planning a celebration of Amend\u2019s life. Details will be announced soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>From studying arsenic-eating organisms to exploring the depths of a South Dakota gold mine, his quest to discover the limits of life knew no bounds.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":18948,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,16],"tags":[88,1920,159,1911,125,60,1312],"class_list":["post-18955","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-faculty","category-science-and-technology","tag-biological-sciences","tag-bisc","tag-earth-sciences","tag-erth","tag-obituary","tag-research","tag-usc-dornsife-leadership"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>USC Dornsife mourns 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