Abstract: Most people think of microbes as harmful causes of disease and contamination, but what if tiny microorganisms thriving in toxic industrial environments could solve our most pressing energy challenges? Every year, we discard hundreds of thousands of tons of valuable, metal-containing batteries, yet the US remains completely dependent on imports to fuel electronics manufacturing. Unfortunately, the current industry standards for recovering these valuable metals are inefficient and create toxic waste streams. At NLR, I am harnessing microbes that have evolved to survive the harshest conditions to unlock a better path to critical metals recovery. My research transforms acid-loving microorganisms into a biological tool that converts spent batteries into a value-added mineral supply chain, harnessing domestic waste to ensure US energy security and independence.

Bio: Kalen joined the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) in 2024 as a postdoctoral researcher after completing his PhD in environmental engineering at the Colorado School of Mines (CSM). At CSM, his research focused on the intertwined relationship between environmental chemistry and microbial metabolism that generates bio-geologic signatures persisting over billions of years. His work advances our understanding of ancient life and environments on Earth and supports efforts to identify life beyond our planet. As a member of the Synthetic Biology and Bioconversion team at NLR, Kalen now applies his expertise to uncover mechanisms that enable microorganisms to safely interact with toxic metals. His work has led to innovative biotechnologies for recovering critical metals from electronic waste, reducing U.S. reliance on foreign suppliers and strengthening domestic energy security.