Katrina Edwards, a professor of biological sciences and a professor of earth sciences at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, died on October 26 after a long illness. She was 46 years old.
A native of Columbus, Ohio, Dr. Edwards was a graduate of Ohio State University and held a master’s degree in geology and a Ph.D. in geomicrobiology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Before joining the faculty at the University of Southern California, she served as an associate scientist in marine chemistry and geochemistry at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in Massachusetts.
Dr. Edwards’ research focused on “intraterrestrials” or microbes living below the ocean’s crust and sediment. She was considered one of the leading experts on geomicrobiology.