Image

Biogeochemical Pioneer

Geoff Eglinton (1927-2016) influenced and inspired generations of marine chemists for more than 25 years as a WHOI adjunct scientist. In 2015, he penned an article for Oceanus magazine, commenting on recent findings by young scientists. Geoff specialized in the development of lipids as biomarkers for organisms and their activities and as the basis for determining the temperature of the sea surface tens of thousands of years ago. Geoff also had a special connection to space exploration—he was in Houston when Neil Armstrong first walked on the moon to examine samples of moon rocks and dust to look for signs of life—past or present.(Photo by Tom Kleindinst, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)