Jo Handelsman

Jo Handelsman
Name	Jo Handelsman
Birth date	1959
Birth place	New York City
Nationality	United States
Fields	Microbiology, Molecular Biology
Workplaces	University of Wisconsin–Madison, Yale University, Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, National Science Foundation
Alma mater	University of California, Davis, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Known for	Research on microbiomes, science education reform, diversity in STEM

Jo Handelsman

Jo Handelsman is an American microbiologist, educator, and science policy figure known for research on microbial communities, science pedagogy, and advocacy for diversity in research. She has held faculty positions at major research universities and leadership roles in federal science agencies and nonprofit organizations. Handelsman’s work spans laboratory research on bacterial interactions, development of undergraduate education reforms, and initiatives to increase participation of underrepresented groups in STEM fields.

Early life and education

Handelsman was born in New York City and raised in a family that encouraged scientific curiosity, later attending the University of Wisconsin–Madison for undergraduate and graduate studies. She completed a Ph.D. in molecular biology at the University of California, Davis and pursued postdoctoral research at institutions including University of Wisconsin–Madison and collaborative laboratories associated with the National Institutes of Health and private research centers. During her training she engaged with faculty and researchers from institutions such as Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

Scientific career and research

Handelsman’s laboratory research focused on microbial ecology, microbial genomics, and the ecology of soil and human microbiome communities. Her studies employed techniques such as metagenomics, functional metagenomics, and high-throughput sequencing pioneered by groups at Broad Institute and J. Craig Venter Institute. Collaborations and citations link her work to researchers at University of California, Berkeley, Michigan State University, Yale University, Princeton University, and Columbia University. She investigated antibiotic biosynthesis and resistance mechanisms alongside scientists from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Society for Microbiology, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, and industrial partners such as Genentech and Pfizer. Handelsman’s publications contributed to understanding of microbe–microbe interactions, horizontal gene transfer documented in studies at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and applications in biocontrol exemplified by work at USDA research programs.

Academic leadership and positions

Handelsman served as a faculty member in the Department of Plant Pathology and the Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at University of Wisconsin–Madison. She directed centers and initiatives at the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery and helped launch programs aligned with efforts at institutions like National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Her leadership engaged with academic partners including University of Michigan, University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign, Cornell University, and University of California, San Francisco. Handelsman’s administrative roles intersected with national education initiatives tied to National Science Foundation programs, cooperative activities with Smithsonian Institution, and curriculum reform movements influenced by reports from American Association for the Advancement of Science and National Research Council.

Advocacy for women in science and mentorship

Handelsman became prominent for research and advocacy on gender equity, mentoring, and diversity in STEM academia. She co-authored influential studies on faculty hiring and implicit bias with scholars from University of Colorado Boulder, Rutgers University, University of Washington, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her efforts connected to programs by organizations such as Association for Women in Science, Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science, National Organization for Women, and the American Association of University Professors. Handelsman promoted mentorship models used at institutions like Spelman College, Oberlin College, and Hampshire College, and participated in panels at conferences hosted by Gordon Research Conferences, AAAS Annual Meeting, and Society for the Study of Evolution.

Government service and policy roles

Handelsman was appointed to leadership positions in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and served as Deputy Director for Science and Technology at the National Science Foundation. In these roles she worked with federal agencies including the Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services, Environmental Protection Agency, and international partners such as European Commission research directorates. Her policy work addressed research reproducibility, workforce development initiatives aligned with PCAST recommendations, and grant-making practices similar to reforms at National Institutes of Health. Handelsman engaged with congressional committees including the United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the United States House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology on topics spanning research integrity and diversity programs.

Awards and honors

Handelsman’s honors include fellowships and awards from organizations such as the American Association for the Advancement of Science, National Science Foundation CAREER-type recognitions, and distinctions from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and professional societies like the American Society for Microbiology and Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science. She has been invited to give named lectures at venues including Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Gordon Research Conferences, Marine Biological Laboratory, and university lecture series at Yale University and Harvard University.

Category:American microbiologists Category:Women microbiologists Category:University of Wisconsin–Madison faculty