Corday Selden, assistant professor in the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences. Photo credit: Heshani Pupulewatte
Corday Selden, assistant professor in the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences at Rutgers University–New Brunswick, has been selected to receive The Oceanography Society (TOS) Early Career Award. The honor recognizes outstanding early-career research contributions, leadership in ocean sciences, and exceptional promise for future impact in oceanography. Selden will be recognized at the TOS Honors Breakfast on February 24, 2026, during the Ocean Sciences Meeting in Glasgow, Scotland.
A marine biogeochemist, Selden investigates how microscopic marine organisms shape ocean chemistry and influence Earth-system function. Her research integrates stable isotope geochemistry, molecular biology, numerical modeling, and field-based oceanography to address fundamental questions about nitrogen cycling, microbial metabolism, and interactions between the biosphere and geosphere.
Selden’s work has significantly advanced understanding of marine dinitrogen (N₂) fixation across oxygen-deficient zones, continental shelves, and oceanic frontal systems. By clarifying where and why nitrogen fixation occurs and identifying methodological artifacts that complicated earlier measurements, Selden has helped refine the scientific framework for studying one of the ocean’s most critical nutrient cycles. More recently, her pioneering research on transition metal isotopes has opened new pathways for interpreting microbial physiology and reconstructing paleoceanographic conditions.
Having successfully completed a two-year term as a Rutgers Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow, Selden joined the university as a tenure-track faculty member in 2025, continuing her rapid ascent. She has published in leading scientific journals, secured major competitive research grants, and will serve as co-chief scientist with Rutgers colleague Joe Gradone on an August 2026 research expedition.
“Corday Selden represents an ideal candidate for this award,” wrote Oscar Schofield, chair, and Travis Miles, assistant research professor, DMCS. “She is an exceptional researcher, teacher, mentor and thought leader, and has quickly become a core part of our academic family.”
Beyond her research accomplishments, Selden is deeply committed to education and public engagement. She mentors undergraduate and graduate students and leads a laboratory that actively supports student interns and early-career scientists. Her outreach spans K–12 programs, libraries, community events, and national science initiatives, broadening access to ocean science and inspiring the next generation of researchers.
Through innovative scholarship, collaborative leadership, and dedication to mentoring and outreach, Selden exemplifies the spirit of the TOS Early Career Award—advancing oceanography while shaping the field’s future.
