Prof. Paula Welander is a microbiologist who received her undergraduate degree from Occidental College and pursued her PhD studies in microbiology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She completed her postdoctoral studies at MIT in the Departments of Biology and of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences. In 2013, Paula joined the Earth System Science faculty at Stanford, where her current research focuses on understanding how microbes make and use lipid biomarkers, or “molecular fossils”. Paula is a passionate advocate for equity and inclusion in higher education and is currently the Associate Dean for Integrative Initiatives at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability and Associate Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs at Stanford.

Originally from Los Angeles, Paula is a first-generation student, the grateful daughter of remarkable Mexican immigrants, the lucky sister of four wonderful siblings, and the proud mom of two amazing young adults. Beyond science, she enjoys running, reading, gravel biking, spending time with her family, and spoiling her dog, Tommy.