Clara Chan

Professor

Clara Chan is a professor of Earth Sciences at the University of Delaware and Delaware Biotechnology Institute, specializing in geomicrobiology. She studies how microbes make minerals, addressing the molecular mechanisms of biomineralization, as well as the unique composition of biominerals. Her approaches integrate culturing, 'omics, biochemistry, and field experiments in caves, deep sea vents, coastal environments, and streams.

Clara earned her BS in Geological and Environmental Sciences and MS in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford, and PhD in Earth and Planetary Science at Berkeley. She was an environmental consultant at CDM, an NSF Ridge2000 postdoctoral fellow at WHOI, an NSF CAREER awardee, and a Distinguished Lecturer for the Mineralogical Society of America and will be the 2026 MSA Dana Medalist. She loves to watch things grow, including her microbes, garden, and tween.