Gerald R. Cysewski, PhD

Dr. Gerald R. Cysewski, PhD Founder, CEO and Chief Scientific Officer

Dr. Gerald Cysewski is recognized as a world authority on microalgae. He has over 35 years’ experience in microalgae research and commercial production of microalgae products. His work on microalgae in 1976 was supported by the National Science Foundation at the University of California at Santa Barbara where he was an assistant professor in the department of Chemical and Nuclear Engineering. He carried on his work at Battelle Northwest as a group leader of microalgae research.

Dr. Cysewski founded Cyanotech Corporation in 1983 in Washington State, and has served in executive and scientific positions at Cyanotech since. After several years as President and CEO, Dr. Cysewski returned to his true love of science when he became Cyanotech’s Chief Scientific Officer in 2008. In 1984, Dr. Cysewski found the ideal site to grow microalgae on the Kona Coast of Hawaii, a region with abundant sunlight virtually year-round, a ready source of pure water from island aquifers, deep-ocean seawater nearby to fuel a new chill-drying technology, and access to transportation and skilled labor. Cyanotech’s location, combined with its advanced technology, has made it the premier producer of microalgae in the world.

Dr. Cysewski holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Washington and Doctorate in Chemical Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley.