Professor Dr. Rosa Santomartino

Biography

Rosa Santomartino is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering at Cornell University. She is a space microbiologist with a deep interest in understanding microbial behavior under space conditions. Her research leverages her expertise in microbiology and molecular biology to advance sustainable space exploration while addressing pressing environmental challenges on Earth. Rosa earned her Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from Sapienza University of Rome and has completed postdoctoral research in microbial astrobiology at the University of Edinburgh. Notably, she led groundbreaking experiments aboard the International Space Station and has collaborated with NASA and the European Space Agency. In 2022, she became co-director of the UK Centre for Astrobiology at the University of Edinburgh and received a prestigious Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship. Her research group investigates plastic-degrading microorganisms and technologies to facilitate resource utilization in space, contributing to both space applications and Earth-based waste management strategies.

Research Interests

Awards