Professor Ed DeLong was elected a member of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in April 2008 and attended the induction ceremony at this year’s NAS annual meeting in Washington, DC, April 25-27. DeLong gave a featured talk on “The Microbial Planet” and appeared on the conference schedule along with President Barack Obama, who addressed NAS members two days later. “I did get a chuckle out of being on the same speaking agenda as Barack Obama,” said DeLong, an internationally recognized marine microbiologist who was selected for membership in the NAS for his groundbreaking research on ocean microbes.