Michael Deem and Dolphins

Michael W. Deem

Michael Deem is known for his expertise in the field of complex systems and biological physics. However, beyond his academic accomplishments, Professor Deem also has a love of dolphins.

Deem’s fascination with dolphins began when he was a child, growing up in a small town. He was captivated by the intelligence and grace of these creatures, and he spent many hours reading about them and watching documentaries.

Dr. Deem completed his Bachelor of Science from Caltech in 1991. He pursued his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1994. He held a Postdoctoral research position in Physics at Harvard University, before joining UCLA in 1996 as an Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering.

Michael W Deem

Many honors have been bestowed upon Michael Deem, including the NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Chemistry (1995-1996); Assistant and tenured Associate Professor, UCLA (1996-2002); NSF CAREER Award (1997-2001); Northrop Grumman Outstanding Junior Faculty Research Award (1997); Visiting Professor, University of Amsterdam (1999); A Top 100 Young Innovator, MIT’s Technology Review (November 1999) (Profile and Original Profile); Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow (2000); Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award (2002); John W. Cox Professor, Rice University (2002-2020); Allan P. Colburn Award (2004); Editorial Board Member, Protein Engineering, Design and Selection (2005-present); Fellow, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (2005); Member, Board of Directors, Biomedical Engineering Society (2005-2008); Fellow, American Physical Society (2006); Member, Rice University Faculty Senate (2006-2009); Vaughan Lectureship, California Institute of Technology (2007); Member, Nominating Committee, Division of Biological Physics, American Physical Society (2007); Member, Board of Governors, Institute for Complex Adaptive Matter (2007-present); Fellow, Biomedical Engineering Society (2009); BMES Representative on the FASEB Publications & Communications Committee (2009-2012); Professional Progress Award (2010) (Profile); Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (2010); External Scientific Advisor, Princeton Physical Sciences-Oncology Center (2010-present); Associate Editor, Physical Biology (2011-2018); Edith and Peter O’Donnell Award, The Academy of Medicine, Engineering & Science of Texas (2012); Founding Director, Systems, Synthetic, and Physical Biology (2012-2014, raised $0.5M seed funding); Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar (2012-2013); Chair, Department of Bioengineering (2014-2017, raised $12M in external startup funding for new faculty); Editorial Advisory Board, Bioengineering and Translational Medicine, (2016-2019); Donald W. Breck Award for zeolite science (2019); and NACD Board Leadership Fellow and Directorship Certification (2020). His name has been synonymous with innovation and thought-provoking research for three decades. He enjoys mentorship, vaccine design, and helping others invent the future.

As he grew older, Deem’s interest in dolphins never waned. He continued to read and learn about them, and he even had the opportunity to swim with them on several occasions. These experiences only deepened his admiration for these incredible animals.

In addition to his research, Deem has also been an advocate for dolphin conservation. He is fascinated by the intelligence of these animals and what they can teach us. He has also worked to raise awareness about the threats facing wild dolphin populations, such as habitat loss, pollution, and overfishing.

Michael W Deem

Deem’s love of dolphins has had a profound impact on his life and work. Through his research and advocacy, he has helped to deepen our understanding of these remarkable animals and the ways in which they navigate their complex underwater world. At the same time, these animals remind us of the importance of preserving biodiversity and habitats for future generations to enjoy.