Microbial ecologist Jack Gilbert wins 2026 Rachel Carson Environmental Conservation Award

Professor Jack Gilbert, a microbiologist at the University of California San Diego, has been named the winner of the Rachel Carson Environmental Conservation Excellence Award as part of the Applied Microbiology International Horizon Awards 2026. Gilbert, who holds positions in the Department of Pediatrics and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and serves as Associate Vice Chancellor for Marine Science, was recognized for applied microbiology work that has moved beyond research or pilot activity to deliver real-world conservation outcomes, including supporting ecosystem resilience, safeguarding biodiversity, and addressing environmental challenges across land and water systems.

The award honours the legacy of Rachel Carson by recognising outstanding achievements in applied microbiology that deliver meaningful impact in environmental conservation. It celebrates professionals, researchers, and innovators whose work has contributed to the protection, restoration, and sustainable management of marine and terrestrial ecosystems. According to the awarding body, the prize specifically distinguishes microbiology that has translated into practical outcomes rather than remaining at the research or pilot stage.

Gilbert said that Applied Microbiology International felt like his academic home away from home and that receiving the award meant a great deal to him personally. He described having strived to support conservation action around the world using microbiology as a key to unlock innovation in management and restoration practices, and noted that Rachel Carson is one of his heroes, giving the award special personal resonance.

A pioneer in microbial ecology, Gilbert earned his Ph.D. from Nottingham University in the United Kingdom in 2002 and has held positions at institutions including Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, and the University of Chicago. He co-founded the Earth Microbiome Project and the American Gut Project, founded the journal mSystems, and has authored more than 450 peer-reviewed publications, including the popular science book Dirt is Good. At UC San Diego, he serves as the institution’s principal investigator for the National Institutes of Health’s $175 million Nutrition for Precision Medicine program. He co-founded the biotechnology company BiomeSense Inc in 2018, acts as chief scientific advisor for Oath Biome, and is faculty director of the UC San Diego Soil Health Center.

His earlier honors include Popular Science’s Brilliant Ten list, the IFF Microbiome Science Prize, and election to the American Academy of Microbiology. He recently concluded a term as President of Applied Microbiology International and currently co-chairs the IUCN Microbial Conservation Specialist Group. The Horizon Awards, administered by Applied Microbiology International, celebrate researchers, groups, projects, products, and individuals shaping the future of applied microbiology. The society, the oldest microbiology society in the United Kingdom, serves a global membership with more than half of its members based outside the UK, spanning universities, private industry, and research institutes. It publishes the magazine The Microbiologist and, in partnership with Oxford University Press, three internationally recognised journals.

The Horizon Awards portfolio is set to expand for 2027 with three new Early Career Excellence Awards, recognising emerging researchers making an impact in environmental conservation, food security and innovation, and public health. The established WH Pierce Prize, the Christiana Figueres Policy to Practice Award, and the Dorothy Jones Diversity and Inclusion Achievement Award remain open to researchers across all career stages, with criteria allowing early career researchers to compete on an equal footing. The winners of all nine Horizon Awards will be announced and celebrated at the LAM ECR Symposium at Queen Mary University of London in June 2027, an event intended to bring together established leaders and the next generation of applied microbiologists.

Subject of Research: Award recognition of microbial ecology research applied to environmental conservation

Article Title: Horizon Awards 2026: Professor Jack Gilbert named as winner of Rachel Carson Award

Article References: Horizon Awards 2026: Professor Jack Gilbert named as winner of Rachel Carson Award. Original publication (Bibliographic details unavailable.)

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Keywords: Jack Gilbert, Rachel Carson Award, Horizon Awards, Applied Microbiology International, microbial ecology, Earth Microbiome Project, environmental conservation, UC San Diego, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, microbiome, IUCN, award announcement