Paul Edward Stamets (born July 17, 1955) is an American

mycologist Mycology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of fungus, fungi, including their genetics, genetic and biochemistry, biochemical properties, their Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy and ethnomycology, their use to humans, including as a so ...

and entrepreneur who sells various mushroom products through his company. He is an author and advocate of

medicinal fungi Medicinal fungi are fungi that contain metabolites or can be induced to produce metabolites through biotechnology to develop prescription drugs. Compounds successfully developed into drugs or under research include antibiotics, anti-cancer dru ...

and

mycoremediation Mycoremediation (from ancient Greek ''μύκης (mukēs)'', meaning "fungus" and the suffix ''-remedium'', in Latin meaning 'restoring balance') is a form of bioremediation in which fungi-based remediation methods are used to decontaminate the e ...

Early life

Stamets was born in

Salem, Ohio Salem is the largest city in Columbiana County, Ohio, with a small district in southern Mahoning County. At the 2020 census, the city's population was 11,915. It is the principal city of the Salem micropolitan area in Northeast Ohio. It is 18 m ...

. He grew up in

Columbiana, Ohio Columbiana is a city in northern Columbiana County, Ohio, Columbiana and southern Mahoning County, Ohio, Mahoning counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 6,559 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. It is part of the Micropo ...

with an older brother, John, his twin brother North, and younger siblings. He graduated from

The Evergreen State College The Evergreen State College is a public liberal arts college in Olympia, Washington. Founded in 1967, it offers a non-traditional undergraduate curriculum in which students have the option to design their own study towards a degree or follow a p ...

Olympia, Washington Olympia is the capital of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat and largest city of Thurston County. It is southwest of the state's most populous city, Seattle, and is a cultural center of the southern Puget Sound region. European ...

with a bachelor's degree in 1979. He began his career in the forest as a logger. He has an honorary doctorate from the

National University of Natural Medicine The National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM) is a private university of naturopathic medicine and Classical Chinese medicine located in Portland, Oregon. The school has approximately 553 students. History The National University of Natu ...

in Portland.

Personal life

Stamets is married to Carolyn "Dusty" Yao.

Mycological interest

Stamets credits his late brother, John, with stimulating his interest in

mycology Mycology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of fungi, including their genetic and biochemical properties, their taxonomy and their use to humans, including as a source for tinder, traditional medicine, food, and entheogens, as ...

, and studied mycology as an undergraduate student. Having no academic training higher than a

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

, Stamets is largely self-taught in the field of mycology. Paul Stamets received an Invention Ambassador (2014–2015) award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science ( AAAS).

In popular culture

Stamets plays a significant part in the 2019 documentary film ''

Fantastic Fungi ''Fantastic Fungi'' is a 2019 American documentary film directed by Louie Schwartzberg. The film combines time-lapse cinematography, CGI, and interviews in an overview of the biology, environmental roles, and various uses of fungi. The film feat ...

'', and edited the film’s official companion book, ''Fantastic Fungi: Expanding Consciousness, Alternative Healing, Environmental Impact'' The character Lieutenant Commander

Paul Stamets Paul Edward Stamets (born July 17, 1955) is an American mycologist and entrepreneur who sells various mushroom products through his company. He is an author and advocate of medicinal fungi and mycoremediation. Early life Stamets was born in ...

on the

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

series '' Star Trek: Discovery'' was named after the real Stamets. The fictional version is an astromycologist and engineer aboard the ''USS Discovery'', and is credited with discovering how to navigate a

mycelial Mycelium (plural mycelia) is a root-like structure of a fungus consisting of a mass of branching, thread-like hyphae. Fungal colonies composed of mycelium are found in and on soil and many other substrates. A typical single spore germinates ...

network in space using a "spore drive".

Books

* ''Psilocybe Mushrooms & Their Allies'' (1978),

Homestead Book Company Homestead Book Company was a publisher and wholesale distributor of books, magazines, videos, games, and novelty items. Founded in 1972 and closed in 2017, the organization was located in Seattle, Washington. They specialized in counter-cultur ...

, * ''The Mushroom Cultivator: A Practical Guide to Growing Mushrooms at Home'' (1984), Paul Stamets and J Chilton, Agarikon Press, * ''Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms'' (1996),

Ten Speed Press Ten Speed Press is a publishing house founded in Berkeley, California in 1971 by Phil Wood. Ten Speed Press was bought by Random House in February 2009 and is now part of their Crown Publishing Group division. History Wood worked with Barnes & N ...

, * ''Psilocybin Mushrooms of the World'' (1996), Ten Speed Press, *'' Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World'' (2005), Ten Speed Press, ) *''Fantastic Fungi: How Mushrooms Can Heal, Shift Consciousness & Save the Planet'' (2019), Earth Aware Editions,

References

External links

Profile at his business website, Fungi Perfecti
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stamets, Paul 1955 births Living people American mycologists American science writers American environmentalists Evergreen State College alumni Permaculturalists Psychedelic drug researchers American psychedelic drug advocates People from Shelton, Washington People from Columbiana, Ohio