image: Dr. David Deamer (l) and Dr. John Baross (r)
Credit: SETI Institute
SETI Institute’s 2025 Drake Award Recognizes Origins of Life Research
April 1, 2025, Mountain View, CA -- The SETI Institute announced today two recipients for the 2025 Drake Award: Dr. David Deamer (University of California, Santa Cruz) and Dr. John Baross (University of Washington, Seattle). Deamer and Baross are known for their pioneering work in astrobiology, focused on understanding the origins of life. However, each approaches the question from a different perspective. Deamer, a biomolecular engineer who focuses on membranes and RNA formation in shallow water environments, is recognized for advancing new theories on the origins and processes of life in the Universe. Baross, a microbiologist, focuses on hydrothermal vents and deep-sea chemistry as the cradle of life and has pioneered research on extremophiles to decipher life’s origins on Earth and beyond.
“The Science Advisory Board is so excited to honor John Baross and David Deamer’s respective contributions to the search for life in the universe this year,” said Lucian Walkowicz, Chair of the SETI Institute’s Science Advisory Board (SAB). “Our planet Earth is the keystone in our ability to discover life beyond our planet, and our understanding of life on Earth would be sorely incomplete without their work.”
Named after Dr. Frank Drake, the SETI Institute’s inaugural president of its Board of Directors and the architect of the Drake Equation, the Drake Award celebrates remarkable achievements in the realms of SETI and astrobiology. Drake Award recipients are nominated by the SETI Institute’s Science Advisory Board and ratified by its Board of Directors.
“Frank Drake included the origin of life as the fourth of the seven essential components of the Drake equation, abbreviated as fl,” said Deamer. “He knew that without an origin of life, there could be no intelligent life.”
“I am both very honored and surprised to be the recipient of the Frank Drake Award,” said Baross. “It has made me think again about my childhood interests. When I was in grade school, my father bought a telescope and mounted it on a flat portion of our roof. While we always hoped to see an unidentified flying object, we were content and even excited to observe planets and think about the possibility of life elsewhere and how life started. Well, I still have those keen interests, and the years I was on the SETI Advisory Board further piqued these interests, especially getting to interact with Frank Drake and other SETI scientists and board members. I believe it is only a matter of time before SETI’s quest becomes reality.”
Since its inception in 2001, extraordinary individuals, including Frank Drake, Charles Townes, William Borucki, Victoria Meadows, Jason Wright, Paul Horowitz, Dan Werthimer, Shelley Wright, John Rummel and Andrew Siemion, have received the Drake Award for their groundbreaking contributions.
“The beauty of science is its ability to support different perspectives and alternative conclusions based on different observations and analyses of the natural world around us,” said Bill Diamond, SETI Institute CEO. “Both David and John have done pioneering work developing crucial and yet different contributions to our understanding of the origins of life and what constitutes a habitable environment. We are delighted to be able to honor them both with this year’s Drake Award.”
David Deamer
David Deamer is a Research Professor of Biomolecular Engineering at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Deamer hypothesized and later demonstrated that some molecules from meteorites can form microscopic compartments similar to cell membranes. These compartments could have provided a home for the first living cells. He also offered a testable alternative to the idea that life began in oceans, proposing that life may have started in freshwater hot springs. Deamer earned his BS in chemistry from Duke University and his PhD in physiological chemistry from Ohio State University School of Medicine.
John Baross
John Baross is Professor Emeritus at the School of Oceanography and Astrobiology Program at the University of Washington. His research focused on understanding life in extreme environments, particularly deep-sea hydrothermal vents where some of Earth’s earliest life may have originated and formed. Baross’ work extends beyond Earth and has helped shape the search for life beyond Earth on planets and moons with comparable conditions. Baross has led many national and international science committees and earned wide recognition as a leader in astrobiology. Baross served on the SETI Institute’s Science Advisory Board from 2016 to 2022 and received his PhD in marine microbiology from the University of Washington.
The 2025 Drake Awards will take place on May 20, 2025, at a public event at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA. The SETI Institute will also livestream the event via Zoom for those unable to attend in person. SETI Institute CEO Bill Diamond and Dr. Nadia Drake will co-host the event. In addition to the Drake Award, the ceremony will include the presentation of the SETI Forward Award, which encourages future scientists in their pursuit of life in the Universe, and the Carl Sagan Director’s Award, recognizing exceptional contributions to astrobiology, technology, and the exploration of life in the Universe.
Registration and information:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/drake-awards-2025-tickets-1251126907259?aff=oddtdtcreator
About the SETI Institute
Founded in 1984, the SETI Institute is a non-profit, multi-disciplinary research and education organization whose mission is to lead humanity’s quest to understand the origins and prevalence of life and intelligence in the universe and share that knowledge with the world. Our research encompasses the physical and biological sciences and leverages data analytics, machine learning, and advanced signal detection technologies. The SETI Institute is a distinguished research partner for industry, academia, and government agencies, including NASA and the National Science Foundation.
Contact information
Rebecca McDonald
Director of Communications
SETI Institute
rmcdonald@seti.org