Jared R. Leadbetter, professor of environmental microbiology, has been elected a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology. Fellows of the academy are elected annually through a selective, peer-review process based on their records of scientific achievement and original contributions that have advanced microbiology.
Leadbetter's research seeks to clarify the form, function, and spatial distribution of diverse microbes in their environment. His past studies have focused on the cultivation of microbial strains possessing unusual, atypical, or previously unrecognized properties, and have sought to reveal the impact of these organisms on their given environment.
There are over 2,000 fellows of the American Academy of Microbiology, representing all subspecialties of microbiology, including basic and applied research, teaching, public health, industry, and government service.