The Biogeochemistry of Sulfur

Convened by

Brandy Toner
Senior Fellow 2025–2026

Details

Venue & accessibility infos: Meridian Hall, Collegium Helveticum

This event is open to the public, free-of-charge.
Please register your interest in attending the event here.

Sulfur is a remarkable element with wide-ranging and multifaceted roles in Earth’s biosphere. It is fundamental to the biochemistry and metabolism of life—from microorganisms to humans—while also occurring abundantly in the natural environment and as a global pollutant resulting from human activity.

Biogeochemistry examines the physical, chemical, and biological cycling of elements within the Earth's biosphere. Research in this interdisciplinary field investigates the quantities and chemical forms of elements within distinct components of ecosystems, known as pools. Equally central is the study of the movement of elements between these pools over time—dynamic processes referred to as fluxes.

In this public event, scientists will present their motivations and research approaches for understanding sulfur biogeochemistry across contrasting environmental systems. The program will begin with an overview of sulfur’s roles in the biosphere, introducing key concepts and highlighting unresolved scientific questions (Act 1). Acts 2 and 3 will focus on two primary modes of scientific inquiry: field expeditions and publicly funded research infrastructures. The presentations will be followed by a reception with the speakers and a poster session offering deeper insights into their research programs.

Program