PROFESSOR of Geochemistry
Department of Geosciences And The Penn State Astrobiology Research Cente of the NASA Astrobiology Institute

435 Deike Building

The Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA 16802

Phone: 814-865-4074
Fax: 814-863-2001
Email: ohmoto@geosc.psu.edu

Education/Degrees

  • B.S. in Geology, Hokkaido University, 1964.
  • A.M. in Geology, Princeton University, 1967.
  • Ph.D. in Geology, Princeton University, 1969.


Research Interests

  • Astrobiology: Evolution of life and environment on early Earth and Mars.
  • Stable isotope geochemistry:  Principles governing the distribution of isotopes of S, C, O, H, and Fe in nature.
  • Ore deposits:  hydrothermal deposits (VMS, SHMS, MVT, BIF, granite-related)

Courses at PSU

  • GSc. 416 Introduction to isotopes in geosciences (Spring)
  • GSc. 451 Natural Resources (Fall)
  • Abiol 570 Astrobiology Field Course
  • GSc. 600 and 601. Thesis research (Every semester)

Graduate Students and Post-doctoral Fellows Supervised

  • Penn State: 23 Ph.D. Theses; 18 Master's Theses; 15 Post-doctoral Research Associates; 7 Ph. D. Theses (Students from Other Institutions Who Conducted Parts of Their Thesis Research at Penn State)
  • Tohoku University: 8 Ph.D. Theses; 21 Master's Theses



This is personal website of Dr. Hiroshi Ohmoto
The Pennsylvania State University