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. She is an Associate Editor for Geo-Bio Interfaces.

• 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

• 2025 Excellence in Science Research Award (tenure-track), Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo

• 2024 Young Scientist Award, Mineralogical Association of Canada

• 2024 Jane Lang Excellence in Earth and Environmental Sciences Teaching Award

• 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, 2024, 2025
• 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, 2024, 2025
• EARTH 624 - Environmental Biogeochemistry
  • Taught in 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025

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

• 2025 Excellence in Science Research Awards winners
• May 26, 2023 Mighty Microbes: New research shows that specific bacteria could help speed up carbon sequestration
• 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)