Marcia McNutt, PhD, is an American geophysicist, earning her PhD from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Her research area involves the dynamics of the Earth’s crust, plate tectonics, and seafloor processes. She has participated in 15 major deep-sea expeditions, often as chief scientist. McNutt served as Director of the U.S. Geological Survey from 2009 to 2013, the first woman to lead the agency. She led the scientific response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and was awarded the U.S. Coast Guard’s Meritorious Service Medal for her work. From 2013 to 2016, she served as editor-in-chief of the journal Science. In 2015 McNutt was elected President of the National Academy of Sciences, the first woman to lead that organization.
