Biologist
Biologist

Biography

Scott Edmundson joined Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in 2013 and is a staff research botanist and team lead for the Biogeochemistry Team working in the Marine and Coastal Research Laboratory at PNNL-Sequim. He has academic and professional experience is in plant physiology, water quality analysis, applied phycology, bioenergy technologies, limnology, zooplankton ecology, and sustainable farming.

Edmundson’s research has focused on ecological pathways to rebalance our modern human civilization under current and future environmental challenges. He is earnest in ecologically rebalancing our modern human civilization under current and future environmental perturbations. Edmundson has studied the humble photosynthetic algae, which comprise the energetic base of complex aquatic and marine food webs. With extensive research experience in field systems and under climate simulations, he has grown algae in many anthropogenic wastes such as municipal solid waste landfill leachates, agricultural manures, anaerobically digested food waste, and municipal wastewater.

Edmundson’s primary research interests include understanding and optimizing photosynthetic cultivation conditions for the phytoremediation of anthropogenic wastes (e.g., carbon dioxide emissions) and catalyzing interdisciplinary teams to sustain balanced human systems. 

Research Interest

  • Photosynthesis
  • Microbiology
  • Ecology
  • Sustainability

Education

  • MS in ecology, University of Florida
  • BS in botany, University of Florida

Affiliations and Professional Service

  • Member, Algal Biomass Organization
  • Member, American Association for the Advancement of Science

Awards and Recognitions

  • Outstanding Performance Award for contributions to the Harmful Algal Blooms Interception, Treatment, and Transformation System project, PNNL, 2023          
  • Outstanding Performance Award for campus logistical support for tours, PNNL, 2022
  • Best Publication of the Year, EED, PNNL, 2021         
  • Mentor of the Year, EED, PNNL, 2021           
  • Operational Excellence of the Year Award Nominee, EED, PNNL, 2021       
  • Staff Recognition CSD STEM Contributions, EED, PNNL, 2020          
  • Staff Recognition CSD Mentor/Supervisor Nominee, EED, PNNL, 2020       
  • Outstanding Performance Award for COVID on-site supervisor, PNNL, 2020
  • Outstanding Performance Award for contributions to Algae Lab Operations and the Unrealized Critical Lanthanide Extraction from Sea Algae Mining project, PNNL, 2020

Publications

2023

  • Beirne N.H., S.J. Edmundson, S. Gao, J.C. Freeman, and M.H. Huesemann. 2023. "A Streamlined Approach to Characterize Microalgae Strains for Biomass Productivity Under Dynamic Climate Simulation Conditions." Algal Research 72. PNNL-SA-171622. doi:10.1016/j.algal.2023.103099. 
  • Gao S., K.T. Pittman, S.J. Edmundson, M.H. Huesemann, M.A. Greer, W. Louie, and P.H. Chen, et al. 2023. "A newly isolated alkaliphilic cyanobacterium for biomass production with direct air CO2 capture." Journal of CO2 Utilization 69. PNNL-SA-178327. doi:10.1016/j.jcou.2023.102399.
  • Gao S., S.J. Edmundson, M.H. Huesemann, A.E. Gutknecht, L. Laurens, S. Van Wychen, and K.T. Pittman, et al. 2023. "DISCOVR Strain Screening Pipeline - Part III: Strain Evaluation in Outdoor Raceway Ponds." Algal Research 70. PNNL-SA-171626. doi:10.1016/j.algal.2023.102990.
  • Huesemann M.H., S. Gao, S.J. Edmundson, L. Laurens, S. Van Wychen, N.H. Beirne, and A.E. Gutknecht, et al. 2023. "DISCOVR Strain Pipeline Screening - Part II: Winter and Summer Season Areal Productivities and Biomass Compositional Shifts in Climate-Simulation Photobioreactor Cultures." Algal Research 70. PNNL-SA-171358. doi:10.1016/j.algal.2022.102948.
  • Huesemann M.H., S.J. Edmundson, S. Gao, S. Negi, T. Dale, A.E. Gutknecht, and H. Daligault, et al. 2023. "DISCOVR Strain Pipeline Screening - Part I: Maximum Specific Growth Rate as a Function of Temperature and Salinity for 38 Candidate Microalgae for Biofuels Production." Algal Research 71. PNNL-SA-172545. doi:10.1016/j.algal.2023.102996.
  • Zhu Y., Y. Xu, A.J. Schmidt, M.R. Thorson, D.J. Cronin, D.M. Santosa, and S.J. Edmundson, et al. 2023. Microalgae Hydrothermal Liquefaction and Biocrude Upgrading: 2022 State of Technology. PNNL-34032. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Microalgae Hydrothermal Liquefaction and Biocrude Upgrading: 2022 State of Technology.

2022

  • Gao S., S.J. Edmundson, and M.H. Huesemann. 2022. "Oxygen stress mitigation for microalgal biomass productivity improvement in outdoor raceway ponds." Algal Research 68. PNNL-SA-171541. doi:10.1016/j.algal.2022.102901.
  • Myers C.R., C.F. Hibbeln, S.J. Edmundson, and C. Venkata Subban. 2022. Optimizing biological carbon uptake by regulating carbonate-bicarbonate equilibrium. PNNL-33407. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Optimizing biological carbon uptake by regulating carbonate-bicarbonate equilibrium.
  • Reynolds D.T., J. Caminiti, S.J. Edmundson, S. Gao, M. Wick, and M.H. Huesemann. 2022. "Seaweed proteins are nutritionally valuable components in the human diet." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 116, no. 4:855-861. PNNL-SA-169695. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqac190.

2021

  • Krishnan A., M. Likhogrud, M. Cano, S.J. Edmundson, J. Melanson, M.H. Huesemann, and J. Mcgowen, et al. 2021. "Picochlorum celeri as a model system for robust outdoor algal growth in seawater." Scientific Reports 11, no. 1:11649. PNNL-SA-161355. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-91106-5.
  • Reynolds D.T., M.H. Huesemann, S.J. Edmundson, A.C. Sims, B. Hurst, S.L. Cady, and N.H. Beirne, et al. 2021. "Viral Inhibitors Derived from Macroalgae, Microalgae, and Cyanobacteria: A review of antiviral potential throughout pathogenesis." Algal Research 57. PNNL-SA-161240. doi:10.1016/j.algal.2021.102331

2020

  • Sun N., R. Skaggs, M.S. Wigmosta, A. Coleman, M.H. Huesemann, and S.J. Edmundson. 2020. "Growth Modeling to Evaluate Alternative Cultivation Strategies to Enhance National Microalgal Biomass Production." Algal Research 49. PNNL-SA-145175. doi:10.1016/j.algal.2020.101939.

2019

  • Khawam G., P. Waller, S. Gao, S.J. Edmundson, M.H. Huesemann, S. Attalah, and K.L. Ogden. 2019. "Simulation of shading and algal growth in experimental raceways." Algal Research 41. PNNL-SA-145038. doi:10.1016/j.algal.2019.101575.
  • Khawam G., P. Waller, S. Gao, S.J. Edmundson, M.S. Wigmosta, and K.L. Ogden. 2019. "Model of temperature, evaporation, and productivity in elevated experimental algae raceways and comparison with commercial raceways." Algal Research 39. PNNL-SA-144965. doi:10.1016/j.algal.2019.101448.
  • Zhu Y., S.B. Jones, A.J. Schmidt, K.O. Albrecht, S.J. Edmundson, and D.B. Anderson. 2019. "Techno-Economic Analysis of Alternative Aqueous Phase Treatment Methods for Microalgae Hydrothermal Liquefaction and Biocrude Upgrading System." Algal Research 39. PNNL-SA-137970. doi:10.1016/j.algal.2019.101467.

2018

  • Huesemann M.H., A.R. Chavis, S.J. Edmundson, D.K. Rye, S.J. Hobbs, N. Sun, and M.S. Wigmosta. 2018. "Climate-Simulated Raceway Pond Culturing: Quantifying the Maximum Achievable Annual Biomass Productivity of Chlorella sorokiniana in the Contiguous USA." Journal of Applied Phycology 30, no. 1:287-298. PNNL-SA-124328. doi:10.1007/s10811-017-1256-6.

2017

  • Edmundson S.J., M.H. Huesemann, R. Kruk, T.L. Lemmon, J.M. Billing, A.J. Schmidt, and D.B. Anderson. 2017. "Phosphorus and Nitrogen Recycle Following Algal Bio-crude Production via Continuous Hydrothermal Liquefaction." Algal Research 26. PNNL-SA-124518. doi:10.1016/j.algal.2017.07.016.
  • Huesemann M.H., P. Williams, S.J. Edmundson, P.H. Chen, R. Kruk, V.I. Cullinan, and B. Crowe, et al. 2017. "The Laboratory Environmental Algae Pond Simulator (LEAPS) Photobioreactor: Validation Using Outdoor Pond Cultures of Chlorella sorokiniana and Nannochloropsis salina." Algal Research 26. PNNL-SA-123118. doi:10.1016/j.algal.2017.06.017.

2016

  • Huesemann M.H., B.J. Crowe, P. Waller, A.R. Chavis, S.J. Hobbs, S.J. Edmundson, and M.S. Wigmosta. 2016. "A Validated Model to Predict Microalgae Growth in Outdoor Pond Cultures Subjected to Fluctuating Light Intensities and Water Temperatures." Algal Research 13. PNNL-SA-111707. doi:10.1016/j.algal.2015.11.008.
  • Huesemann M.H., M.S. Wigmosta, B.J. Crowe, P. Waller, A.R. Chavis, S.J. Hobbs, and S.J. Edmundson, et al. 2016. "Estimating the Maximum Achievable Productivity in Outdoor Ponds: Microalgae Biomass Growth Modeling and Climate Simulated Culturing." In Microalgal Production for Biomass and High-Value Products, edited by SP Slocombe and JR Benemann. 113-137. Boca Raton, Florida:CRC Press. PNNL-SA-105694. doi:10.1201/b19464-6.

2015

  • Edmundson S.J., and M.H. Huesemann. 2015. "The Dark Side of Algae Cultivation: characterizing night biomass loss in three photosynthetic algae, Chlorella sorokiniana, Nannochloropsis salina and Picochlorum sp." Algal Research 12. PNNL-SA-108573. doi:10.1016/j.algal.2015.10.012.