Jenine McCutcheon

Jenine McCutcheon studies microbe-mineral-fluid interactions in natural and engineered environments. She aims to understand how small-scale biogeochemical processes influence large-scale systems, with a particular focus on utilizing these reaction pathways to solve environmental challenges. Her work targets settings such as mine sites, wetlands, and polar habitats.

• Microbial carbonation reactions for carbon storage in mine tailings
• Microstructure and chemistry of microbial mats and stromatolites
• Electron and X-ray microscopy of microbial mats and their mineral precipitates
• Microbial nutrient acquisition in polar environments
• Bioremediation of mine waste materials
• Contamination & Remediation: Water, Soil, Air
• Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage
• Climate Change and Geosciences
• Microbiology

Professor McCutcheon aims to understand microbial element cycling in natural and anthropogenic systems. She employs a multi-analytical approach to characterize microbially mediated biogeochemical reactions at the nanoscale. Professor McCutcheon and her research group target topics including: microbial mineral precipitation and dissolution reactions, microbial mat structure and chemistry, microbe-metal interactions, and microbial nutrient acquisition in extreme environments. She applies this knowledge to carbon storage, bioremediation of mine sites, geomaterials stabilization, and understanding microbial activity in changing polar habitats.

• 2017, Doctorate Geomicrobiology, University of Queensland, St.Lucia, Australia
• 2013, Master of Science Geology, Western University, Canada
• 2011, Bachelor of Science (BSc) Honours Specialization Geology and Biology, Western University, Canada

• 2019 Early Career Science Ambassador, European Association of Geochemistry
• 2018 Australian Synchrotron Stephen Wilkins Thesis Medal, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation
• 2015 School of Earth Sciences 3 Minute Thesis winner, The University of Queensland
• 2013 Student poster prize, Carbon Management Canada
• 2013 Female Student-Athlete Community Service Award, Ontario University Athletics
• 2013 Canada Graduate Scholarship D, NSERC
• 2012 Canada Graduate Scholarship M, NSERC
• 2011 Western Gold Medal, Western University
• 2011 Undergraduate mineralogy student award, Mineralogical Association of Canada
• 2011 Ontario Graduate Scholarship, OSAP
• 2009 Undergraduate student research award, NSERC

• BIOL 624 - Environmental Biogeochemistry
  • Taught in 2022, 2023
• EARTH 121 - Introductory Earth Sciences
  • Taught in 2022
• EARTH 122 - Introductory Environmental Sciences
  • Taught in 2022
• EARTH 321 - Introduction to Geomicrobiology
  • Taught in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
• EARTH 624 - Environmental Biogeochemistry
  • Taught in 2022, 2023

* Only courses taught in the past 5 years are displayed.

• May 26, 2023 Mighty Microbes: New research shows that specific bacteria could help speed up carbon sequestration
• April 3, 2023 University of Waterloo researchers are using microbes to get more out of mining waste CBC Radio: The Morning Edition
• Feb 5, 2021 What's feeding the algae growing on — and helping to melt — Greenland's ice? CBC Radio: Quirks and Quarks
• May 6, 2019 The carbon market potential of asbestos mine waste.
• November 23, 2018 Jenine McCutcheon has been recognised for her outstanding research with the Australian Synchrotron's Stephen Wilkins Medal
• May 31, 2017 Study highlights formation of beachrock in resisting climate-induced sea level rises.
• August, 21 2016 Autumn begins in Greenland (Black and Bloom Science)