Podcasts about Biogeochemistry

Dr. Angelia Seyfferth, Professor of Biogeochemistry and Plant-Soil Interactions, shares her journey from humble beginnings to having a lab with her name on it at one of the most prestigious research universities in the country. She talks about her innovative study of arsenic uptake in rice, the trouble of salt water intrusion, and growing rice where it isn't typically found. Michael asks her about the challenges and rewards of academia, mentorship, gender representation in STEM, and more. https://seyfferthlab.org www.denin.udel.edu/salted-earth/ With special guest: Dr. Angelia Seyfferth, Professor & Associate Dean of Research, University of Delaware Hosted by: Michael Klein

While the fossil fuel industry continues to promote "natural gas" as a relatively "clean" energy source, Dr. Robert Howarth has argued since since his seminal report in 2011 that methane (which makes up roughly 5% of "natural gas") poses a greater threat to humankind than "dirty" options like coal and oil. This is particularly true of methane produced through hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") Join us for a conversation about what we've now known for more than a decade, and how much more convinced Dr. Howarth is now that we should not be fracking for gas, nor otherwise be using methane as an energy source.Dr. Howarth is the David R. Atkinson Professor of Ecology & Environmental Biology in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Cornell University. He's an Earth systems scientist, ecosystem biologist, and biogeochemist. He has worked extensively on environmental issues related to human-induced changes in the sulfur, nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon cycles, the impacts of global climate change, the interaction of energy systems and the environment, and implementation of 100% renewable energy policies. He is the Founding Editor of the journal Biogeochemistry.Currently, Howarth serves as one of 22 members of the Climate Action Council, the group charged by law with implementing the aggressive climate goals of New York's Climate Leadership & Community Protection Act of 2019, often referred to as CLCPA. Howarth has published more than 200 research papers, and these have been cited in other peer-reviewed articles more than 70,000 times, making Howarth one of the ten most cited aquatic scientists in the world. In 2011, Time Magazine named Howarth as one of 50 “People Who Matter” for his research on the greenhouse gas footprint of shale gas produced from hydraulic fracturing, better known as “fracking”.Topics Discussed Include:Why methane is such a concern with regard to climate changeWhy methane emissions are greater than predicted by the gas industryWhy Dr. Howarth believes methane is worse for the climate than coalHow some methane leaks are accidental while others are routine, and therefore can't be eliminatedHow OGI thermal cameras are able to see methane and other greenhouse gassesFurther ReadingDr. Howarth maintains a web site featuring many of the works he's published over the years, including the April 2011 paper on methane leaks from gas fracking.Support the showVisit us at climatemoneywatchdog.org!

It's time for another trip around the solar system on the BIGGER and BETTER Science Weekly!  This episode of the Fun Kids Science Weekly we continue our bigger and better podcast where we answer YOUR questions, have scientists battle it out for which science is the best & learn all about China's youngest astronauts to reach space/ Dan starts with the latest science news where we learn about Denmark's plans to tax cow farts, why Uranus might not as dead as scientists first thought and Ed Turner from the National Space Centre joins Dan to discuss China's newest and youngest astronauts to reach space. Then we delve into your questions where Dan explains how we come up with animal names and Peter Falkingham from Liverpool John Moore's University answers Kenny's question on what caused the first dinosaur to be put on earth. Dangerous Dan continues and we learn all about the Stargazer FishThe Battle of the Sciences continues where Dan chats to Lewis Alcott from the University of Bristol on why Biogeochemistry is the best kind of science.  What do we learn about? Denmark's plans to tax cow farts Why Uranus might not be dead after all China's youngest ever astronauts to reach space What caused the first dinosaur to be put on earth? Is biogeochemistry the best type of science? All on this week's episode of Science Weekly!Join Fun Kids Podcasts+: https://funkidslive.com/plusSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, Dr. Jennifer Goff of the Department of Chemistry at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss her laboratory's work studying the relationship between microbes in metal, as well as her path in the microbial sciences. Host: Mark O. Martin Guest: Jennifer Goff Subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Spotify Become a patron of Matters Microbial! Links for this episode  A fine remembrance of Carl Woese from the journal Nature. A wonderful book by the great David Quammen that emphasizes the impact Carl Woese had on biology. An article by yours truly on the impact Carl Woese has on my students. An overview of biogeochemistry. The carbon cycle and how the microbial world is involved with the process. The nitrogen cycle and how the microbial world is involved with the process. An article about tellurium and microbes. An older overview of how microbes are involved in mining, as well as a more recent article on that topic. A review of metals and microbes. Dr. Goff's faculty website. Dr. Goff's fascinating laboratory group website, including links to the papers discussed by Dr. Goff. Intro music is by Reber Clark Send your questions and comments to mattersmicrobial@gmail.com

Carbon SequestrationCarbon sequestration is the process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide to slow the pace of climate change. There are two major types of carbon sequestration: geologic and biologic. Geological carbon sequestration injects carbon dioxide captured from an industrial or energy-related source into underground geologic formations. Biological carbon sequestration refers to the storage of atmospheric carbon in vegetation, soils, woody products, and aquatic environments. While carbon dioxide (CO2) is naturally captured from the atmosphere through biological, chemical, and physical processes, some artificial sequestration techniques exploit the natural processes to slow the atmospheric accumulation of CO2.Soil Carbon Sequestration and Climate ChangeThe exchange of carbon between soils and the atmosphere is a significant part of the world's carbon cycle. Carbon, as it relates to the organic matter of soils, is a major component of soil and catchment health. However, human activities including agriculture have caused massive losses of soil organic carbon, leading to soil deterioration. California´s Healthy Soil Initiative is one program in the state working to promote the development of healthy soils in efforts to increase the state´s carbon sequestration, prevent soil deterioration and reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions.Soil carbon sequestration is a process in which CO2 is removed from the atmosphere, primarily mediated by plants through photosynthesis, with carbon stored in the form of soil organic matter. Many scientists agree that regenerative agricultural practices can reduce atmospheric CO2 while also boosting soil productivity and health and increasing resilience to floods and drought.UC Berkeley researchers found that low-tech agricultural management practices such as planting cover crops, optimizing grazing, and sowing legumes on rangelands, if instituted globally, could capture enough carbon from the atmosphere and store it in the soil to reduce global temperatures 0.26 degrees Celsius – nearly half a degree Fahrenheit – by 2100. However, critics say that because biological sequestration isn't permanent and can be hard to measure, it's only part of the climate solution and not a substitute for reducing emissions. Whendee SilverDr. Whendee Silver is the Rudy Grah Chair and Professor of Ecosystem Ecology and Biogeochemistry in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management at U.C. Berkeley. She received her Ph.D. in Ecosystem Ecology from Yale University. Her work seeks to determine the biogeochemical effects of climate change and human impacts on the environment, and the potential for mitigating these effects. The Silver Lab is currently working on drought and hurricane impacts on tropical forests, climate change mitigation potential of grasslands, and greenhouse gas dynamics of peatlands and wetlands. Professor Silver is the lead scientist of the Marin Carbon Project, which is studying the potential for land-based climate change mitigation, particularly by composting high-emission organic waste for soil amendments to sequester atmospheric carbon dioxide. Continued ReadingThe potential of agricultural land management to contribute to lower global surface temperaturesTechnical options for sustainable land and water managementSoils help to combat and adapt to climate change by playing a key role in the carbon cycleThe solution to climate change is just below our feetSoil as Carbon Storehouse: New Weapon in Climate Fight? Soil Carbon Sequestration Impacts on Global Climate Change and Food SecurityOrganizationsSilver Lab, UC BerkeleyCarbon Management and Sequestration Center, Ohio State UniversityFood and Agricultural Organization, the United NationsRelated EpisodesCollaborating with farmers on climate-friendly practices, with Alameda County Resource Conservation District For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/sequestering-carbon-using-compost-and-grasslands-with-whendee-silver/

The Vital Role of WetlandsWetlands are critical ecosystems that play a fundamental role in maintaining the stability and well-being of both local and global environments.  Coastal salt marshes, flooded and drained by tides, and often composed of deep mud and peat, provide a wide range of ecosystem services that contribute to biodiversity, water quality, carbon storage, and climate regulation. Biodiversity and Habitat ConnectivitySalt marshes are incredibly diverse habitats and serve as breeding grounds, nurseries, and foraging areas for a wide range of aquatic and terrestrial species. This biodiversity helps maintain ecosystem resilience and adaptability in the face of environmental changes. Wetlands also provide essential habitat connectivity by serving as corridors for the movement of species between different ecosystems and supporting genetic diversity and species' adaptation to changing environmental conditions. Natural Water RegulationSalt marshes act as natural water regulators, storing excess water during periods of heavy rainfall, reducing the risk of floods in downstream areas. During dry periods, wetlands slowly release stored water, helping to maintain steady streamflow and prevent water shortages. Wetlands are natural filters that improve water quality by trapping sediment, nutrients, and pollutants from runoff and wastewater. Further, coastal wetlands act as natural buffers against sea-level rise and storm surges. They stabilize shorelines, protect coastal communities from erosion, and reduce the impacts of extreme weather events.Greenhouse Gas SequestrationSalt marshes are among the most efficient ecosystems in terms of carbon sequestration. The plants in salt marshes, including grasses and other vegetation, absorb carbon dioxide and convert it into organic matter. This organic matter is then stored in the soil, where it can remain for long periods, effectively acting as a carbon sink. In fact, tidal marshes can sequester carbon at a rate 10 times higher than tropical rainforests. Salt marshes also play a role in regulating methane emissions. Some wetlands, known as "methane sinks," actively consume methane from the atmosphere through specialized microbial processes, effectively reducing its impact as a greenhouse gas. Methane gas has significant atmospheric heating qualities, and in turn excess emissions have negative environmental impacts. The carbon storage and methane regulation services provided by salt marshes have a direct impact on the global climate. “ Because methane is “both a powerful greenhouse gas and short-lived compared to carbon dioxide, achieving significant reductions would have a rapid and significant effect on atmospheric warming potential” the EPA states. By storing carbon and reducing methane emissions, wetlands help to mitigate the greenhouse effect.The Nitrogen Cycle and Coastal WatersSalt marshes are a key component in the nitrogen cycle as well. These ecosystems filter and process excess nutrients that can enter coastal waters. Excess nitrogen runoff from agricultural activities and urban areas can lead to harmful algal blooms and dead zones in coastal waters. Salt marshes act as natural filters, trapping and transforming nutrients, which helps maintain water quality and support marine ecosystems. Conserving and restoring these ecosystems is crucial for both mitigating the impacts of climate change and maintaining the overall health of coastal and marine environments.Human BenefitsSalt marshes and tidal wetlands provide critical services to humans as well, including protection of infrastructure from coastal hazards, and habitat protection for economically important species. A large majority of U.S. wetlands today have been lost or degraded due to human activities, primarily related to development of coastal wetlands. NASA scientists conducted an analysis of salt marsh ecosystems changes and degradation from 2000 to 2019, and they found the loss of these ecosystems resulted in an “estimated net global emissions of 16.3 Teragrams of carbon dioxide across the study period, an annual equivalent of emissions from approximately 3.5 million motor vehicles.” Feedback and interactions among natural and anthropogenic drivers have altered the stability and persistence of coastal wetlands, and continue to accelerate carbon emissions and atmospheric warming.Restoration Efforts and ChallengesDr. Kroeger and his team's latest salt marsh restoration project occurred at Cape Cod National Seashore (CCNS), which encompasses a diverse range of ecosystems, including coastal dunes, salt marshes, woodlands, and freshwater ponds. Salt marsh restoration efforts within CCNS focus on restoring tidal flow to marshes that have been affected by human alterations. This involves removing or modifying structures that impede natural water movement, allowing marshes to recover and thrive. The CCNS ecosystem restoration project also used numerous tools such as prescribed fire and construction of new culverts constructed in Hatches Harbor to allow for greater tidal exchange. To date, twenty culverts have been replaced, restoring natural tidal exchange to more than 300 acres of coastal wetland habitat. Currently, plans are underway for additional tidal restoration throughout Cape Cod, including the Herring River Restoration Project in Wellfleet. Involving almost 1,000 acres of former salt marsh, the Herring River is the most ambitious and largest tidal restoration project in New England.Wetland restoration faces many challenges including sediment starvation by dams and dikes, land subsidence from oil drilling and river channelization. River sediments often dumped into gulfs instead of marshes deteriorating the foundations of these wetlands. Excessive agricultural run-off containing high quantities of nitrogen are also damaging these ecosystems by crippling root growth and causing algae blooms and dead zones. Increased frequency and force of natural disasters, such as hurricanes and sea level rise, due to climate change exacerbate restoration efforts too. Another barrier is the high costs associated with restoration. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates restoring and preserving wetlands costs between $170-$6,100 per acre, with lower costs in rural midwestern areas and higher costs in populated coastal regions.Who is our Guest?Dr. Kevin Kroeger has studied coastal ecosystems since 1990, with focus on a range of topics including fluxes and biogeochemistry of nitrogen in groundwater discharge to estuaries and wetlands, estuarine water quality, and carbon and greenhouse gas cycling and fluxes in coastal wetlands. Dr. Kroeger is currently the lead of the Biogeochemical Processes group at Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center in Massachusetts. Dr. Kroeger also received his PhD in Biogeochemistry from Boston University's marine program, an M.S. in Marine Sciences from the University of Connecticut, and a B.A. in ecology from the University of Tennessee.  For a transcript of this episode, please visit https://climatebreak.org/salt-marshes-ecosystem-powerhouses-in-climate-regulation-and-biodiversity/

Mike Sertle, manager of conservation programs, and Sara Burns, water program specialist, join Dr. Mike Brasher to share the exciting story of how DU is growing conservation through innovative partnerships around the many benefits of wetlands and waterfowl habitat. From water quality to flood water retention and coastal resiliency, DU's new work in Sustainability and Nature-based Solutions is attracting more partners, funding sources, and ideas to our waterfowl and wetlands conservation mission.www.ducks.org/DUPodcast

On episode 327 of SOMEWHERE IN THE SKIES, we are joined by Oceanographer and former NASA Deputy Director of Earth Sciences, Dr. Paula Bontempi. Dr. Bontempi spent over 16 years as the program manager for Ocean Biology and Biogeochemistry at NASA Headquarters, as well as the Lead for NASA's Carbon Cycle and Ecosystems Focus Area and the agency's Carbon Cycle Science research lead, before becoming the Earth Science Division's Acting Deputy Director in 2019. She is currently the Dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island. Currently, Dr. Bontempi is currently a part of the NASA independent UAP Study team. Today, she discusses the recent NASA UAP public meeting, what the expect with the upcoming public UAP report, and the importance and role of our oceans in the study of UAP and beyond. Follow Dr. Paula Bontempi on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/drpaulabontempiVOTE for us in the People's Choice Podcast Awards: www.podcastawards.comOrder Ryan's new book: https://a.co/d/4KNQnM4Patreon: www.patreon.com/somewhereskiesWebsite: www.somewhereintheskies.comYouTube Channel: CLICK HEREBook your Cameo video with Ryan at: https://bit.ly/3kwz3DOOfficial Store: CLICK HEREBuy Somewhere in the Skies coffee: https://bit.ly/3rmXuapOrder Ryan's older book: https://amzn.to/3PmydYCEmail Ryan directly at: Ryan.Sprague51@gmail.comTik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ryansprague51Twitter: @SomewhereSkiesInstagram: @SomewhereSkiesPodRead Ryan's Articles by CLICKING HEREOpening Theme Song, "Ephemeral Reign" by Per KiilstofteCopyright © 2023 Ryan Sprague. All rights reserved.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/somewhere-in-the-skies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this second part of this two-episode podcast, continue with our host Andrés Tangarife as he talks with Prof. Dr. Susan Trumbore, director of the Department of Biogeochemical Processes at the MPI for Biogeochemistry in Jena. In this conversation, they will speak about the complexity of climate change when it touches the social and the political spheres. Furthermore, they will discuss the link between fossil fuels, economy and lifestyle as well as on the role of scientists in society and their engagement in climate activism.   If you would like to know more information about Prof. Dr. Susan Trumbore, check out here: ⁠https://www.bgc-jena.mpg.de/person/strumbore/4670667⁠   To find more information on the topics researched by the Department of Biogeochemical Processes of the MPI-BGC: ⁠https://www.bgc-jena.mpg.de/en/bgp⁠    Literature recommendations (in pdf) by Prof. Trumbore: How to build a habitable planet? By Wallace Smith Broecker ⁠https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Wallace_Smith_Broecker⁠ Sophie's Planet: A Search for Truth About Our Remarkable Home Planet and Its Future by James Hansen http://www.columbia.edu/~jeh1/mailings/2018/PrefaceSophiePlanet.pdf And if you want to know more about the intricate relation between climate, politics and human behavior, I recommend you this comprehensive analysis by our colleague Dr. David Martini: https://300ppm.github.io/DavidMartini/posts/what%20is%20to%20be%20done/   Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry's Twitter: @MPI_BGC Prof. Trumbore's Twitter: @SusanTrumbore    Episode Art: Photo by Eelco Böhtlingk on Unsplash    You can follow us on:   Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/MPPhdnetPodcast⁠   Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/offspringmagazine_thepodcast⁠   Linkedin: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/offspring-magazine-the-podcast⁠   YouTube: ⁠https://youtube.com/c/MaxPlanckPhDnet⁠   If you have any feedback, comments, or suggestions, reach out to us at offspring.podcasts@phdnet.mpg.de   Check out the Offspring-Blog where we publish articles on a regular basis: ⁠https://www.phdnet.mpg.de/outreach/offspring-blog⁠   Intro - Outro music composed by Srinath Ramkumar: ⁠https://twitter.com/srinathramkumar⁠ Pre-Intro jingle composed by Gustavo Carrizo: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/carrizo.gus⁠   See you soon!

Today's episode is the first part of the conversation from our new host Andrés Tangarife with Prof. Dr. Susan Trumbore, director of the Department of Biogeochemical Processes at the MPI for Biogeochemistry in Jena. Her research focuses on the application of accelerator mass spectrometry measurements of 14C to problems in ecology, soil biogeochemistry and terrestrial use of isotopes and tracers to study the exchange of energy, water and greenhouse gases between terrestrial ecosystems, especially tropical forests and the atmosphere.   In this conversation, Andrés Tangarife and Prof. Dr. Susan Trumbore will shed light on the relevance of the Amazon rainforest and some of the projects in which the MPI-BGC has been researching on during the last decade. They also talk about the main environmental challenges that humankind is currently facing such as deforestation, greenhouse gases increase and climate change.   If you would like to know more information about Prof. Dr. Susan Trumbore, check out here: ⁠https://www.bgc-jena.mpg.de/person/strumbore/4670667⁠   To find more information on the topics researched by the Department of Biogeochemical Processes of the MPI-BGC: ⁠https://www.bgc-jena.mpg.de/en/bgp⁠    Literature recommendations (in pdf) by Prof. Trumbore: How to build an habitable planet? By Wallace Smith Broecker ⁠https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Wallace_Smith_Broecker⁠ Sophie's Planet: A Search for Truth About Our Remarkable Home Planet and Its Future by James Hansen http://www.columbia.edu/~jeh1/mailings/2018/PrefaceSophiePlanet.pdf And if you want to know more about the intricate relation between climate, politics and human behavior, I recommend you this comprehensive analysis by our colleague Dr. David Martini: https://300ppm.github.io/DavidMartini/posts/what%20is%20to%20be%20done/   Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry's Twitter: @MPI_BGC Prof. Trumbore's Twitter: @SusanTrumbore    Episode Art: Photo by ⁠Ivars Utināns⁠ on ⁠Unsplash⁠    You can follow us on:   Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/MPPhdnetPodcast⁠   Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/offspringmagazine_thepodcast⁠   Linkedin: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/offspring-magazine-the-podcast⁠   YouTube: ⁠https://youtube.com/c/MaxPlanckPhDnet⁠   If you have any feedback, comments, or suggestions, reach out to us at offspring.podcasts@phdnet.mpg.de   Check out the Offspring-Blog where we publish articles on a regular basis: ⁠https://www.phdnet.mpg.de/outreach/offspring-blog⁠   Intro - Outro music composed by Srinath Ramkumar: ⁠https://twitter.com/srinathramkumar⁠ Pre-Intro jingle composed by Gustavo Carrizo: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/carrizo.gus⁠   See you soon!

Carbon SequestrationCarbon sequestration is the process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide to slow the pace of climate change. There are two major types of carbon sequestration: geologic and biologic. Geological carbon sequestration injects carbon dioxide captured from an industrial or energy-related source into underground geologic formations. Biological carbon sequestration refers to the storage of atmospheric carbon in vegetation, soils, woody products, and aquatic environments. While carbon dioxide (CO2) is naturally captured from the atmosphere through biological, chemical, and physical processes, some artificial sequestration techniques exploit the natural processes to slow the atmospheric accumulation of CO2.Soil Carbon Sequestration and Climate ChangeThe exchange of carbon between soils and the atmosphere is a significant part of the world's carbon cycle. Carbon, as it relates to the organic matter of soils, is a major component of soil and catchment health. However, human activities including agriculture have caused massive losses of soil organic carbon, leading to soil deterioration. California´s Healthy Soil Initiative is one program in the state working to promote the development of healthy soils in efforts to increase the state´s carbon sequestration, prevent soil deterioration and reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions.Soil carbon sequestration is a process in which CO2 is removed from the atmosphere, primarily mediated by plants through photosynthesis, with carbon stored in the form of soil organic matter. Many scientists agree that regenerative agricultural practices can reduce atmospheric CO2 while also boosting soil productivity and health and increasing resilience to floods and drought.UC Berkeley researchers found that low-tech agricultural management practices such as planting cover crops, optimizing grazing, and sowing legumes on rangelands, if instituted globally, could capture enough carbon from the atmosphere and store it in the soil to reduce global temperatures 0.26 degrees Celsius – nearly half a degree Fahrenheit – by 2100. However, critics say that because biological sequestration isn't permanent and can be hard to measure, it's only part of the climate solution and not a substitute for reducing emissions. Whendee SilverDr. Whendee Silver is the Rudy Grah Chair and Professor of Ecosystem Ecology and Biogeochemistry in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management at U.C. Berkeley. She received her Ph.D. in Ecosystem Ecology from Yale University. Her work seeks to determine the biogeochemical effects of climate change and human impacts on the environment, and the potential for mitigating these effects. The Silver Lab is currently working on drought and hurricane impacts on tropical forests, climate change mitigation potential of grasslands, and greenhouse gas dynamics of peatlands and wetlands. Professor Silver is the lead scientist of the Marin Carbon Project, which is studying the potential for land-based climate change mitigation, particularly by composting high-emission organic waste for soil amendments to sequester atmospheric carbon dioxide. Continued ReadingThe potential of agricultural land management to contribute to lower global surface temperaturesTechnical options for sustainable land and water managementSoils help to combat and adapt to climate change by playing a key role in the carbon cycleThe solution to climate change is just below our feetSoil as Carbon Storehouse: New Weapon in Climate Fight? Soil Carbon Sequestration Impacts on Global Climate Change and Food SecurityOrganizationsSilver Lab, UC BerkeleyCarbon Management and Sequestration Center, Ohio State UniversityFood and Agricultural Organization, the United NationsRelated EpisodesCollaborating with farmers on climate-friendly practices, with Alameda County Resource Conservation District

Kevin is a Senior Research Associate at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, where he works in the air-sea exchange laboratory with Dr. Stephen Archer in the biogeochemistry wing of Bigelow Laboratory. The general focus of the laboratory is to understand the sources and controls of atmospherically active gases produced by marine microorganisms. This work helps build a cross-scale understanding of the impacts/feedbacks of climate change, particularly ocean acidification, on critical biogeochemical cycles. Kevin is also part of the team researching how seaweed may be able to help reduce carbon emissions from cows. Kevin was a speaker at the 2022 Maine Science Festival 5 Minute Genius(TM) event. Our conversation was recorded in January 2023.~~~~~~The Maine Science Podcast is a production of the Maine Science Festival and Maine Discovery Museum. It was recorded at Discovery Studios, at the Maine Discovery Museum, in Bangor, ME. The Maine Science Podcast is hosted and executive produced by Kate Dickerson; edited and produced by Scott Loiselle.The Discover Maine theme was composed and performed by Nick Parker.If you want to support the Maine Science Podcast and/or the Maine Science Festival, you can do so at our website mainesciencefestival.org at our donation page. Find us online:Website - Maine Science FestivalMaine Science Festival on social media: Facebook    Twitter     InstagramMaine Science Podcast on social media: Facebook    Twitter     Instagram© 2023 Maine Science FestivalA program of the Maine Discovery Museum 

The Smart 7 Ireland Edition is the daily news podcast that gives you everything you need to know in 7 minutes, at 7am, 7 days a week… Consistently appearing in Ireland's Daily News charts, we're a trusted source for people every day. If you're enjoying it, please follow, share or even post a review, it all helps… Today's episode includes references to the following guests: Dr Emer MacSweeney - CEO and Medical Director at Re:Cognition HealthSian Gregory - Research Information Manager at the Alzheimers SocietyFaye Couceiro - Reader in Biogeochemistry & Environmental Pollution at the University of PortsmouthProfessor Shaji Sebastian - Consultant Gastroenterologist at Hull UniversityMakalea Ane - Community Engagement Lead at the Nature ConservancyCaroline Smith - Head of Earth Sciences Collections at the Natural History MuseumDr. Jay Varma - Director of the Cornell Center for Pandemic Prevention and Response at Weill Cornell MedicineDr Sam Parnia - Associate Professor of Critical Care Medicine and Director of Critical Care and Resuscitation Research at NYU School of MedicineProfessor Paul Barrett - Head of Fossil Vertebrates at the Natural History Museum Contact us over at Twitter or visit www.thesmart7.com Presented by Ciara Revins, written by Oliva Davies and Liam Thompson and produced by Daft Doris. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Smart 7 is a daily podcast that gives you everything you need to know in 7 minutes, at 7 am, 7 days a week... With over 11 million downloads and consistently charting, including as No. 1 News Podcast on Spotify, we're a trusted source for people every day. If you're enjoying it, please follow, share, or even post a review, it all helps... Today's episode includes the following guests: Dr Emer MacSweeney - CEO and Medical Director at Re:Cognition HealthSian Gregory - Research Information Manager at the Alzheimers SocietyFaye Couceiro - Reader in Biogeochemistry & Environmental Pollution at the University of PortsmouthProfessor Shaji Sebastian - Consultant Gastroenterologist at Hull UniversityMakalea Ane - Community Engagement Lead at the Nature ConservancyCaroline Smith - Head of Earth Sciences Collections at the Natural History MuseumDr. Jay Varma - Director of the Cornell Center for Pandemic Prevention and Response at Weill Cornell MedicineDr Sam Parnia - Associate Professor of Critical Care Medicine and Director of Critical Care and Resuscitation Research at NYU School of MedicineProfessor Paul Barrett - Head of Fossil Vertebrates at the Natural History MuseumIn Ireland? Why not try our Ireland Edition?Contact us over at Twitter or visit www.thesmart7.comPresented by Jamie East, written by Olivia Davies and produced by Daft Doris. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. Gene Kelly received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from Colorado State University and his Ph.D. from the University of California-Berkeley. Dr. Kelly conducts research and lectures nationally and internationally on various aspects of soils as related to global change issues. His scientific specialization is in Pedology and Geochemistry with primary interests in the biological weathering of soil and studies of soil degradation and global biogeochemical cycles. His current research is centered on Global Soil Degradation and fundamental role of grasslands in global biogeochemical cycles. He is a member of the U.S. National Committee for Soil Science with National Academy of Sciences. He serves as an advisor to the United States Department of Agriculture with the National Cooperative Soil Survey, USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, The National Science Foundation and several major research programs. He is a Fellow of the Soil Science Society of America and is the recipient of the 2016 Soil Science Society of America Research Award. We were lucky enough to sit down and chat with him about soil degradation, agriculture, and biogeochemistry just to name a few topics! As always you can find us and our other episodes by following us on Instagram @soilentgreenpodcast where we post bonus content like pictures and graphics of the topics discussed. We can also be reached by email: soilentgreenpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening! Sources:NEONhttps://www.neonscience.org/Phytolithshttps://reader.elsevier.com/reader/sd/pii/B044452747800212X?token=5D1FDF3F350F85C5597700E961080DEB99062657986F510DCED7E8E74B48C2AE178B0B0AFC6F4AEBCD6007C87CFFB9E5&originRegion=us-east-1&originCreation=20220816002908Stable Isotope Ratios of Carbon in Phytoliths as a Quantitative Method of Monitoring Vegetation and Climate Changehttps://reader.elsevier.com/reader/sd/pii/003358949190069H?token=86113F67B1EBBE02EDA30C7DFEDFFFCA3238BF3757B561017C298C9C2DF12515140FCB4C3A434FE524A2187E4336564E&originRegion=us-east-1&originCreation=20220816004050Stable Carbon Isotope Ratioshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXWgscqb-cwThe generation and redistribution of soil cations in high elevation catenas in the Fraser Experimental Forest, Colorado, U.S.https://www-sciencedirect-com.ezproxy2.library.colostate.edu/science/article/pii/S0016706117314738Landscape Topography and Regional Drought Alters Dust Microbiomes in the Sierra Nevada of Californiahttps://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2022.856454/fullDrought increases microbe-laden dust landing in Sierrashttps://phys.org/news/2022-08-drought-microbe-laden-sierras.htmlState Factorshttps://watermark.silverchair.com/47-8-536.pdf?token=AQECAHi208BE49Ooan9kkhW_Ercy7Dm3ZL_9Cf3qfKAc485ysgAAAskwggLFBgkqhkiG9w0BBwagggK2MIICsgIBADCCAqsGCSqGSIb3DQEHATAeBglghkgBZQMEAS4wEQQMW2k_R7uk9uqZ8bweAgEQgIICfPVju7-jKjunuLhV4CLHl_bS0nAL1NVUcAy6U62Z2itv-vPLnr3pRdeyXj0UTx3L6TsqEjb0z081T-nLQt3roT6Zu1qf4OiHALvVI3yZxLVOEJPvJguthVMQ-4FsDTfixfZJL7eN32cgbtueGvMWrTC6ntRiUcNB_weUIqfEOcTduQHd3N0-PknOGqPJV5sARebVy21szCdEgvI9ewvkJApRGaIVZNmlBeP2eVtIk1YEq73FyPTEk9yfH6ZCk2yicR1uEsg5lBqPlGp1o4Wzgnaqu0z7cgRWMuuPbftvGIDDr79vUb-YAEG9nyHTHfXr_Nym0v7lK-Tep0ntvNOtiMR4tSUk3gDdomr-9AOB1wZ1CARXtETZuKXxFYZPSj8dDrLa48Kc2vOWZWGzIOgrSMbenVxT7uDQivsilX3-Y-4baQUFk74SxJ_4lYS3AOxKYIeP1QUnwrlpEFTUVoA1UC1pi-prSHNoqb1UJ0qjQyDgzLagfd8CwHabZpul3P7pDZADqGJ4UcN0haebTO_PPuhiQjWftu8E-HZlfQXjKvFof_bsEKo8xEbWs473xyBSEr468AYsxv439pNqEsfUcU0vEaaoyCiFblVxr81Cm-rxcgJ3SlKIg7IiBeAX5886A1f9jZodA55985kLPgJFQFzI9Y1i6ROAnRxHiCTyhKjLjuWYnht7eZtDr7IDoKPuRJKK4Guk7-D5EtYpKUaeo2RtCE7t5eq-ceDL8v48OXoefWvRY3ivGyXjFOlxC651eqibdFlv-uW3LPH2t70zt2BUJ81pwDhHAmnQieYsZCIbs-ynf6vOJNXFir0snjHMomMqplN4b_i92vDOKAFor some deep level nerding out read Factors of Soil Formation by Hans JennyJosue's New Paper: Link: https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/msystems.00516-22 [josue]

Josué Rodríguez-Ramos currently works with microbial communities and viruses. Besides being considered CSU's go-to for viruses, Josué has 9 publications, earned over 50K in grant funding, won 4 presentation awards, and is a strong advocate for a working wage for graduate students. You won't want to miss this episode in which we chat with Josué about soil viruses, their impacts on climate change, the hot debate on whether they are alive, and of course, poop!Find more from Josué by following him on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/jrr_microbioSources:https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/am-i-more-bacteria-than-human/https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1879625711001908?via%3Dihub

What does road salt have to do with safe drinking water? In this episode, I feature a paper by Kaushal and colleagues who performed a comprehensive analysis of the effects of using salt for de-icing roads and fertilizing farmland on our freshwater supply. They refer to it as the Freshwater Salinization Syndrome, which is becoming one of the most pervasive and systemic water quality problems of this century.   Full citation: Kaushal, S. S., Likens, G. E., Pace, M. L., Reimer, J. E., Maas, C. M., Galella, J. G., ... & Woglo, S. A. (2021). Freshwater salinization syndrome: from emerging global problem to managing risks. Biogeochemistry, 154(2), 255-292.

In this episode I am joined by our NOFA/Mass Soil Tech Coordinator, Ruben Parilla. We interview soil scientist, Dr. Justin Richardson, from University of Massachusetts Amherst, about the state of the invasive Jumping Worm in the Northeast.  Dr. Justin Richardson is an Assistant Professor of Geosciences at UMass Amherst working in the field of Biogeochemistry. Dr. Richardson studies metals and metalloids, examining metals due to their role as essential nutrients for ecosystems and toxicity to plants and humans. He also studies forest soils due to their impact on forest resources and their illustrative nature of vegetation-soil-rock interactions. You can find more of Dr. Richardson's work and many publications on his website Soilbiogeochemist.com To find more information on the Northeast Organic Farming Association chapter in your state please visit us at NOFA.org For additional information on upcoming workshops, articles and NOFA/Mass project updates, please follow our NOFA/Mass Facebook page and join our mailing list. NOFAmass.org Music by Matt Jatkola https://mattjatkola.com/ https://mattjatkola.bandcamp.com/ https://jatk.bandcamp.com/ Music by Jason Valcourt https://www.jasonvalcourt.com/ JV on YouTube NOFA Podcast produced and edited by Jason Valcourt

We're diving into the opportunities in private equity real estate with Jasmine Nazari as she explains the process of creating deals and finding investors in this asset class. Join us to discover its growing demand and unique benefits, and learn how technology plays a significant role in the new era of real estate.Key Takeaways To Listen ForHow investing in private equity real estate worksChanges and opportunities happening in real estateWhat is the future of real estate investing?Tips for continuous self-learning and education about real estate  The importance of mentorship and coaching Resources Mentioned In This EpisodeCoStarJuniper SquareRed SwanFree Apartment Syndication Due Diligence Checklist for Passive Investor  About Jasmine NazariJasmine Nazari joined Urban Green in early 2013 as an assistant after attending the University of California at Davis where she got an MS in Soils and Biogeochemistry. She started from the bottom and worked her way up. Quickly she implemented several pivotal software for the company which has led to accelerated growth and outstanding investor satisfaction. She cherishes every interaction with her investors – which is the art of expectation management. She was born and raised in San Francisco to Persian parents, she is a licensed Real Estate Broker and a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) candidate. She is fluent in four languages (English, French, Farsi, and Spanish) and has a bilingual Baccalaureate. Urban Green has over $3BB in AUM, the backbone of which are their 600 loyal and prolific high-net-worth investors.  Connect with JasmineWebsite: Urban Green InvestmentsEmail: jasmine@urbangreeninv.comTo Connect With UsPlease visit our website: www.bonavestcapital.com and please click here, to leave a rating and review!SponsorsGrow Your Show, LLCThinking About Creating and Growing Your Own Podcast But Not Sure Where To Start?Visit GrowYourShow.com and Schedule a call with Adam A. Adams.Dream Chasers PodcastWant to listen to another Next Level Show?Subscribe to DREAM CHASERS | Interviews with the Future Podcast!

This week, my lab mate Griffin Fox sits down to chat with me about his experiences thus far in archaeology. Griffin's collegiate journey began at Moorpark Community College (California), where he began to take Native American studies and archaeology classes. He then had the opportunity to work with Dr. Andrew Kinkella (Season 1 Episode 39) on two indigenous American sites, as his first field training. Griffin reflects on his time in community college and offers advice for anyone considering transferring to a 4-year University afterwards. In 2019, Griffin transferred to UC Santa Barbara, where he hit the ground running and started an internship with Kaitilin Brown his first day on campus! We reflect on our time working together for the P.L. Walker Bioarchaeology and Biogeochemistry laboratory, our team's effort in the recovery of Jack Cantin's remains and what it meant for Griffin. We also divulge some of our antics in the field including building a yurt, and protecting lizard eggs. The work Griffin did with Kaitlin Brown has recently submitted for publishing, after a successful virtual presentation at the SCA's this year. Follow @thatanthropodcast on Instagram, and @ThatAnthroPod on Twitter for more behind the scenes content. Brought to you in collaboration with the American Anthropological Association check out their podcast library here https://www.americananthro.org/StayInformed/Content.aspx?ItemNumber=1629

 Generalized Stoichiometry and Biogeochemistry for Astrobiological ApplicationsMultiple Paths to Multiple LifeWatch Chris Kempes and David Krakauer discuss multiple life in episode 2 of "Andromeda Strain and the Meaning of Life"Watch Sara Walker's critique of Multiple Life in episode 4 of "Andromeda Strain and the Meaning of Life"Allometric scaling of production and life-history variation in vascular plants, by West, Enquist, Brown and Charnov.A related lecture by Geoffrey WestAtlantis Dispatch 009, in which we contemplate cultural origins...Past related ACS episodes - Heather Graham and Cole Mathis on what Chris calls “Chemical Complexity.”Their co-authored paper, Identifying molecules as biosignatures with assembly theory and mass spectrometry.

Learn more about everything referenced in this episode by clicking the links below:Identifying Molecules as Biosignatures with Assembly Theory and Mass Spectrometry.Generalized Stoichiometry and Biogeochemistry for Astrobiological Applications.Time TeamElemental CyclesDNA has Four Bases. Some Viruses Swap in a FifthBennuHayabusa MissionAlien Crash Site Episode 015, with Cole Mathis on Assembly Theory.Determination of AzimuthAtlantis Dispatch 001, in which we contemplate the meaning of “past” life.Viking missions84001IsuaBob Hazen

This week we conclude our two-part discussion with ecologist Mark Ritchie of Syracuse University on how he and his SFI collaborators are starting to rethink the intersections of thermodynamics and biology to better fit our scientific models to the patterns we observe in nature. Most of what we know about the enzymatic processes of plant and animal metabolisms comes from test tube experiments, not studies in the context of a living organism. What changes when we zoom out and think about life's manufacturing and distribution in situ?Starting where we left off in in Episode 62, we tour the implications of Mark's biochemistry research and ask: What can studying the metabolism of cells tell us about economics? How does a better model of photosynthesis change the way we think about climate change and the future of agriculture? Why might a pattern in the failure of plant enzymes help biologists define where to direct the search for life in space?A better theory of the physics of biomolecules — and the networks in which they're embedded — provides a clearer understanding of the limits for all living systems, and how those limits shape effective strategies for navigating our complex world.Welcome to COMPLEXITY, the official podcast of the Santa Fe Institute. I'm your host, Michael Garfield, and every other week we'll bring you with us for far-ranging conversations with our worldwide network of rigorous researchers developing new frameworks to explain the deepest mysteries of the universe.If you value our research and communication efforts, please subscribe, rate, and review this show at Apple Podcasts, and/or consider making a donation at santafe.edu/give. You can find numerous other ways to engage with us at santafe.edu/engage. Thank you for listening!Join our Facebook discussion group to meet like minds and talk about each episode.Follow us on social media:Twitter • YouTube • Facebook • Instagram • LinkedInRelated Reading & Listening:Ritchie Lab at Syracuse University | Mark's Google Scholar Page | Mark's soil ecology startupReaction and diffusion thermodynamics explain optimal temperatures of biochemical reactionsby Mark Ritchie in Scientific ReportsThermodynamics Of Far From Equilibrium Systems, Biochemistry, And Life In A Warming World [Mark Ritchie's 2021 SFI Seminar + @SFIscience Twitter thread on Mark's talk]Scale and information-processing thresholds in Holocene social evolutionby Jaeweon Shin, Michael Holton Price, David H. Wolpert, Hajime Shimao, Brendan Tracey & Timothy A. KohlerGeneralized Stoichiometry and Biogeochemistry for Astrobiological Applicationsby Christopher P. Kempes, Michael J. Follows, Hillary Smith, Heather Graham, Christopher H. House & Simon A. Levin Complexity 4: Luis Bettencourt on The Science of CitiesComplexity 5: Jennifer Dunne on Food Webs & ArchaeoEcologyComplexity 17: Chris Kempes on The Physical Constraints on Life & EvolutionComplexity 35: Scaling Laws & Social Networks in The Time of COVID-19 with Geoffrey WestComplexity 41: Natalie Grefenstette on Agnostic Biosignature DetectionAlien Crash Site 15: Cole Mathis on Pathway Assembly and AstrobiologyPodcast theme music by Mitch Mignano.Cover artwork adapted from photos by Peter Nguyen and Torsten Wittmann (UCSF).

Learn more about everything referenced in this episode by clicking the links below:Herschel Moon HistoryNatalie Elliot's HomepageAlexander Pope's “The Rape of Lock”Shakespeare'sJulius CaesarHamletRomeo and JulietClaudius PtolemyNicolaus CopernicusTycho BraheAristophanes'sCloudsBirdsFermilab BisonAntikythera Mechanism“Origin Story” for AeonAnd two recently published papers on universal life detection that we are WAY TOO EXCITED about:Generalized Stoichiometry and Biogeochemistry for Astrobiological ApplicationsIdentifying molecules as biosignatures with assembly theory and mass spectrometry

In the first installment of a two-part episode, Thomas Odlum and Jaya Brizendine take a deep dive into America’s oyster mariculture and sustainable aquaculture industry. They speak with Dr. Jane Harrison, a Coastal Economics Specialist with North Carolina Sea Grant, Dr. Ashley Smyth, an Assistant Professor of Biogeochemistry at the University of Florida, and Ms. Natalie Simon, a Biologist at the University of Florida, to explore how and why the farming of oysters could be the key to healthy and long-lasting coastal ecosystems. Join us as we learn more about oyster mariculture, why it is important, how oysters are impacted by climate change, and ways you can make a difference! To learn more about our speakers’ work, please visit: Dr. Jane Harrison: https://ncseagrant.ncsu.edu Dr. Ashley Smyth: http://trec.ifas.ufl.edu Ms. Natalie Simon: http://masgc.org/publications/category/brochures-fact-sheets To access the Guardian article: https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/jan/23/aquaculture-bivalves-oysters-factory-farming-environment

How can we talk about taboo topics in Academia? From mental health to relationships to trauma, what can grad students do to both express and protect themselves? A full-text transcript of this episode is available via google doc. This week, we will be joined by Rob Ulrich (he/him or they/them), a PhD student in Biogeochemistry and the co-founder of Queers in STEM. Find Rob on Twitter at @robertnulrich Join us each Saturday at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT for the Youtube live stream! The podcast will be posted each Tuesday! Grad Chat focuses on maintaining mental health and balance in grad school. Want to be a guest or know somebody we should be talking to? Fill out our google form! A casual discussion between a current and a recent graduate student about all things mental and personal health. Not medical or professional advice. Follow our hosts on Twitter: Fay Lin (@xiaofei_lin) & Susanna Harris (@SusannaLHarris) Check out the PhD Balance website for more info on Grad Chat!

In the fourth episode of BIOmarkers, the audio series that archives the oral history of organic geochemistry, we speak with Dr. Simon Brassell, Professor of Geological Sciences, Biogeochemistry, and Molecular Organic Geochemistry at the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at Indiana University Bloomington. In his interview, Simon discusses his time at the University of Bristol, proxies, and what piques his interest today.

There is nothing quite like eating a cold, raw oyster. In this episode of H2Know, we will be joined by Dr. Ashley Smyth, Assistant Professor of Biogeochemistry at the University of Florida's Tropical Research and Education Center, to learn about what makes oysters so unique and how these creatures benefit our coastal ecosystems. Tune in to learn how the choices you make about your seafood impact the environment around you. This podcast was hosted and created by UF Ph.D. student Emily Pappo.Keywords: #oysters #coastalecosystems #seafood #biogeochemistry #aquaculture #nutrients

Dr. Asmeret Berhe is a soil biogeochemist and the Falasco Endowed Chair in Earth Sciences at the University of California at Merced. Join me in learning about the brave ways Dr. Berhe has shown up for science by making hard decisions and refusing to be pushed out. Learn more about Dr. Berhe's research, watch her TED talk on soil mitigation, and watch her Story Collider on growing up and loving science in a war torn region. TRANSCRIPT Dr. Kate Clancy: Okay, so welcome to yet another round of ‘Ask a Courageous Scientist.” I am going to be asking the same three questions I’ve been asking of everybody and I have been really enjoying the variety of answers that I have been getting from some really astounding scientists. Today I am joined by Professor Asmeret Asefaw Berhe She is a Soil Biogeochemist at the University of California Merced and a full professor over there. (She) Does some amazing work on climate change and I am going to be asking her our three questions today. So, thanks for joining me. Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe: Well, thank you for having me Kate. Clancy: So on to our very first question: What brought you to science? Berhe: So I was, you know, that nerdy kid who liked to read and loved to learn about everything. Through books and talking to folks and listening to radio as a child. I grew up in a household where reading was encouraged a lot. And listening to the radio so that you know about the world, BBC World, when I grew up for example, that was what we listened to in particular with my dad. And I think that just got me into trying to learn more and more things and I grew up, kind of, liking to learn new things not just liking to read, not just my own textbooks but the textbooks of my older siblings. And from time to time I would try to explain it to them, (Laughs) what is in their textbooks, as well as that could go as you can imagine for my younger siblings. They were mad. And that just made things, learning, exciting and interesting to me. So I grew up with the idea that I loved learning, I loved to learn about the natural environment around me and, kind of, that was basically, if you were, my gateway towards learning. And times afterwards I realized, in particular in high school, that I really liked science, in particular chemistry and I was good at it and physics and biology. I had amazing teachers that encouraged, that… you know kind of desire to learn too as well as my parents. And the combination of really getting excited by figuring out new things and learning, you know, new things about the world, that I did not realize were there before. And the fact that I could read and even get more out of that experience, the encouragement from both my parents and the teachers that I had kind of set me on a course to study science. I sought out to study chemistry as a pre-med on the undergraduate level until I studied soil science which was the new thing that I found when I came to college. I really didn’t know too much about soil before then. All of those meant that I got hooked. I realized that not only is this stuff interesting, but it’s also exciting and I found things that I could learn… new things, over and over again. And that just made the learning process exciting for me and science became something that I just fell in love with. And I’ve been learning science since then for a long period of time. For context, where I learned science early on was in Eretria where I was born and raised in East Africa. And it was not easy to necessarily keep focusing on science at the time that I grew up because there was an act of war going on. And so my education had to go on at a time where there was an active armed conflict happening right outside the capital city where I grew up. People’s lives and family’s lives were being interrupted left and right because of war and the combination of family members disappearing because they were getting arrested or God knows what or going out of the town to join the independent struggle. Some leaving the country, exiled to save themselves from what was going on. So there was a lot of disruption happening in the lives of people around us at the time. And so, I think in some ways the idea that my parents kind of brought us into this, that whatever we do in life, we need to be thinking about school and life because that’s about the only wealth, especially in this kind of climate, that the only guaranteed life, path in life is education to take you somewhere. Because you can’t trust anything like wealth or connections. Even peace, as we worked on kind of getting a demonstration in real life at the time that I grew up and they tried to reinforce on us just focus on your school. Whatever you do, try and not lose focus on that school because that’s the only way that… guaranteed way that your life can be set on a good trajectory and a good course for the rest of your life. I think I took that to heart and, in some ways it was also an escape. Learning about school and science was an escape from the reality that was happening right around us. In many ways, science served as a distraction but also a motivating factor of, ‘This has to change’ and something has to be different in our lives and hopefully we can focus on education for a change. And that worked out so that was, kind of my path to science. Loved it because of early influences. If I had to sum it up I would say books, teachers, and parents especially and in spite of everything else that was going on around us those three held, and the interested persisted. Clancy: That’s amazing. That might be the most beautiful answer I’ve gotten so far. So thank you so much for sharing that. Can you tell me one way that you’ve shown courage in science? Berhe: I’ll tell you about courage that I feel like I’ve shown in science, I’ll switch gears and I will not be talking about my early education right now, but rather what happened when I grew up, completed my bachelors in Eretria and moved to the U.S., received a Masters at Michigan State and then moved to the West to pursue a PhD in Biogeochemistry at Berkeley, U.C. Berkeley. And I’ll tell you about that time because one thing I never, kind of, I was naïve and kind of didn’t appreciate as much was how different I would be from everybody else that was in such a big school and the most progressive and most liberal part of the country. Even there so I ended up being as far as I could tell, to this day I could never get my hands on data to confirm or deny this but, as far as I could tell, the only black student that was at that school at the department, so our large interdisciplinary department and graduate students… the only black person for a while. That kind of can give you an impression, it was a very interesting time where most of the people interacted fine with you obviously they minded their own business and everybody’s busy in grad school anyway. But there was at least one person that constantly made it his mission to undermine me and say all sorts of negative things. I wanted to work with this person so I tried to basically bury everything that was happening saying, ‘I don’t need to be friends with this person but they’re a really good scientist. I want to be able to work with them so I am just going to bite my tongue, do whatever they want me to do.’ It went on like that for two years. All sorts of messed up statements and actions that was taken on part of that person. Until I realized, I think it took a long time but it became clear to me that this person did not want me in that environment. And everything that they did to undermine my presence there, to undermine the fact that I was even admitted to the program, over the years cumulated into a final effort to basically, in front of audience, in front of other professors say extremely terrible things to suggest that I don’t belong there. It made it very clear that I do not belong there because I got my bachelors in Africa. Who did I think I was to just come to Berkeley and be able to get a PhD from this department. It’s just not how it should work the people should just not come from my part of the world and be part of this system that they created. That one was almost one of the kind of toughest times in my life especially since it happened at a critical moment in my PhD. And I felt myself just giving up. Just ready to give up and the very least leave that department and find another institution that I could complete my PhD because it became very clear that it was not worth it. This whole psychological toll that this interaction with this individual was taking on me was not worth it. So it required everything that I had and the amazing support of other mentors that I got at that time, new ones and family members and friends to get me to hold on… to just wait, give myself time to not rush into just withdrawing and leaving at that time. And I feel like that was probably what required the most courage because it was, you know, this had already happened two years of continuous and multiple versions of abuse and harassment at the hands of this individual and there were multiple things that were said and done privately and even in the presence of other individuals. I think the combination of all of those things, at the time, made it near impossible for me to stay. I couldn’t quite see what was the point of trying to do a PhD if it was going to cost me my sanity and if I had to continuously be fighting this person and this attitude that I didn’t belong. And there’s nothing that I can do t change where I came from. The only thing I figured I could do was show this individual that I was willing to work hard, I’m willing to do the work that I need to do to earn the degree and advance as I should. But, as you could imagine, this was incredibly hard. I basically decided at some point that he was not worth it. Let’s just move on, find another place to go to. And I think it took a lot of courage for me to be able to recognize that I had reached my limit obviously at this point. But thankfully I had just, you know, had found a new mentor that I was talking to that was willing to just be, say, ‘I recognize this is terrible. No one should be in this position, but let’s not let it ruin the path that you’re in. Let’s figure out a way out of this.’ And my partner, at that time, my boyfriend, who is my husband now who was with me when I went through a lot of it basically said the same thing. It took a couple of friends who saw the toll that it was taking but also how these incremental statements kind of, and actions had reached a critical point as far as how much I could take with concern. And basically, all of them making a plea to me to just hold on, just let it, process it, this is terrible but don’t make any rushed statements. Don’t leave the campus just yet. And I feel like that obviously made a difference, the fact that I stayed ended up being a really good thing because the new mentor that I found ended up being incredibly supportive. He is, to this day, as well as the other two mentors that I got. I ended up having a three-person advising team. That worked beautifully in my favor. That still continues to work beautifully but I think if I, that staying, the deciding to actually give those things a chance though, to me, it felt like it took everything that I had to stay in that environment where, granted a minority, but a member of that community, has made it  clear that I don’t belong. And said so in so many words in front of their colleagues. It was incredibly hard to process that emotion. And the fact that it was also sad to realize, even over the years after that, that I couldn’t do anything right in the eyes of this individual. But there were still, and it’s not like this individual started with me. There was record of all sorts of interesting actions and statements but, whatever I do felt like I can’t prove to people that I’m worthy of being in that environment. But a simple statement from this individual carried a huge weight to get me to be perceived as somebody who is unworthy, who is there with all sorts of shading. You know mechanisms, I don’t even know what those are at that point, but in their eyes, and in his eyes, I didn’t belong there because of my background. Somehow, I slipped in, and that was wrong. The fact that I slipped in through the admission process and whatever I did, didn’t seem to make a difference. In fact every, agreement that I had afterwards ended up being a trigger for yet another action for either that individual or people directly connected to him, in particular a couple of people. Even though there was this whole environment that I had, a community of friends, new advisors, you know, a couple of people, in particular one, made it their mission to make my life so difficult in science. And to this day it makes me upset when I think about these things because it required everything I had to hold on. To be able to stay and not leave that program. So if I were to think about, ‘When did I show courage?’ it’s to listen to the positive voices in my life, and regardless of what was happening to just hold on. And that act of holding on and not, kind of, making a rushed decision… well I guess it’s not necessarily fair to call it a rushed decision because it happened over a couple of years (Laughs). But still to make that decision and just get out of there… was probably the most courageous one I could think of. Clancy: Absolutely, no I couldn’t agree more. I mean that fact that you showed up every day while dealing with all of that abuse… and the fact that you did. So many people think that the wisest thing is to stick it out in the abusive situation and it does so much courage and fortitude and it’s so difficult. It’s a difficult path to change mentors… and you did it. That’s amazing. So I’m so glad you’re here. I’m so glad that you did it and I’m so glad you’re here. Berhe: Yeah changing was the best decision but it’s funny because it’s happened because I tried to report the individual that was just going… I had enough of the harassment and I tried to take formal steps to report the harasser, but his department colleague who was in charge of graduate students, who was appointed to look after the welfare of graduate students, just… she didn’t want to hear me. She didn’t want to hear this at all and so she kept dismissing me saying, ‘You’re not really saying anything. You’re not really reporting anything,’ even as I’m telling her, exactly the way I’m telling you. One thing I will give her credit for though is when I told her, ‘I really don’t know what to do,’ she named the individual who actually ended up being my advisor and said, ‘Have you talked to him? He tends to be a fairly reasonable person.’ And that folks can work with him, folks from very different scientific areas and backgrounds seemed to work with him totally fine. He was a little outside my field so he wasn’t necessarily someone that I thought about. But after my conversation with her, even though I was crushed by the fact that she didn’t want to hear me… she didn’t even want me to report this. It was kind of, you know, weird but at least the lead to the positive idea of reaching out to this other professor who ended up being… just exactly what you want. The advisor to be. And that was probably the best decision I made. Another great decision because if didn’t reach out to him and he didn’t agree to advise me going forward from that path then definitely, there would not have been a path for me to stay there. Clancy: So then that leads me to my final question which is: What do you want others to know about how to be a courageous scientist? Berhe: I think a few things that I think that everybody should no is: One, accept the fact that it sucks to go through something like this. It sucks to have somebody question you and your background and your integrity and denigrate you day in and day out. And everything that you do to be questioned and everything that you are and you integrity and everything to be put into question and your hard work, devalued… it sucks. And I think it’s important to recognize that as a human being. It sucks to go through something like this. But if I were to advise anybody to think through situations like this, what I would say is: one, make sure you surround yourself with supportive people. There is no substitute for that. There are plenty of people doing amazingly good science and there are plenty turns that science can take. And so it’s fine even if you don’t stick to exactly the scientific path you started out with because I think your welfare is way more important. I would choose a healthy climate, a low pace climate, and a healthy advising arrangement over anything. It’s not worth it. It’s not worth to lose your sanity and… you know kind of your health to suffer in so many ways trying to stay in environments like this. None of their credentials and accolades as ‘big deal’ scientists matter, at the end of the day, to you if they drive you insane. That’s, kind of, what I put myself through initially because I was naïve right?  I told myself that, ‘I don’t need him to be my friend.’ I just need to work with this incredible scientist who had accomplished so much and so I took the abuse and it escalated over time but I took it in all sorts of different ways because this person started doubting my… me in like the first five minutes. Doubting me in like the first five minutes of our interaction. Five minutes after we met he questioned my record and told me to take introduction to soil science if I wanted to stay in that program. And I say, ‘I got a bachelors in soil science… I actually was near the top of my class when I got a bachelors in soil science. Why would I need to take introduction?’ And he’s like ‘But this is Berkeley, its taught differently in Africa. And I’m like, ‘How do you know what I learned in Africa?’ Like what do you know about introduction… imagine having so much arrogance thinking an introduction to soil science course at Berkeley is not equivalent to even a bachelors degree at any other part of the world. I feel like that should have been a good clue right? But I just tried to ignore that. I tried to ignore so many things over the years so listen to that nagging voice in your head if there is, if there seems to be something wrong, do not ignore it, do not try to bury it. Surround yourself with the right community and it is okay to fall apart. Hopefully you have surrounded yourself with people that can pick you up at the time that you need support but it should be okay because I think maybe because I was pretty open about how broken up I was about this whole process and how sad I was about what was going on, I ended up finding incredible, not just mentors that provided the support that I needed but also friends. And a partner that saw exactly how much this affected me and where they are to provide the support that I needed at that time, in particular, the community that I needed at that time to have a positive community of people that did not have, that did come with those biases and baggage of opinions that clearly just one individual did and recognize that just one person is all it takes to do a lot of damage. You don’t need a large number of harassers or racists or misogynists to create a problem for underrepresented folks, all it takes is one. And hopefully our institutions recognize that and because we are able to do something about that one individual then hopefully not so many people have to keep suffering under one individual. Clancy: I couldn’t agree more. You know a lot of my research on harassment, one of the things that appalls me is when people push me on my methods or try to say that the percentages of some population I have been looking at are not that high, then I’ll say but… forty percent harassment, twenty percent, eighty percent harassment… these are all bad numbers because they’re greater than zero. Like… they don’t…. Berhe: (Laughs) Exactly. Clancy: What’s the minimal acceptable quantity? I don’t think that… I don’t think a non-zero number is acceptable because of the way, like you said one person can just do so much damage. Thank you for saying that and for prioritizing a healthy climate and telling our listeners how important it is to listen to yourself too. And I’m glad that you listened to your voice cause I’m glad you’re here. Berhe: Thank you. Appreciate that. Clancy: Thank you so so so much. I really appreciate this. Berhe: You’re welcome. I hope it’s useful, appreciate it. Thank you for doing this. Clancy: Absolutely. Clancy (Outro): Thanks for joining me for the courageous scientist podcast. Like I said, this is a short-term passion project to keep me sane during the pandemic so, I don’t want your money. Please do tell budding scientists and educators of all ages about the podcast because I think they’ll like it. And if you have the means send a few bucks the way of your local foodbank, thanks for listening.

Asmeret Asefaw Berhe is a Professor of Soil Biogeochemistry at the Life and Environmental Sciences unit, University of California, Merced. She received her PhD in Biogeochemistry from the University of California, Berkeley; M. Sc. in Political Ecology from Michigan State University, and BS in Soil and Water Conservation from University of Asmara, Eritrea. She is a recipient of numerous awards including the National Science Foundation’s CAREER award, the Young Investigator Award from Sigma Xi, and the Hellman Family Foundations award for early career faculty. Basically, she rocks. Her research focuses on biogeochemical cycling of essential elements (esp. carbon and nitrogen), in particular in systems that experience physical perturbations (ex. erosion, fire, changes in climate). At the AAAS 2019 annual meeting in Seattle, we had a chance to sit down with her for a live interview where we talked about soil (not dirt), bribing lab mates to help with experiments, looking to the ground to mitigate climate change, and more! This episode was produced by and mixed by Shane M Hanlon.

This week's episode features an interview with Northern Miner senior reporter Carl A. Williams, who discusses all things mining and science, including biogeochemical prospecting, artificial intelligence and space mining. He also described his experience at this year's PDAC conference, which was his first time at the event. All this and more with editor and host Adrian Pocobelli. Articles by Carl referenced in the interview: Reading the tree leaves, by Carl A. Williams AI, machine learning to deliver ‘wave of discoveries', by Carl A. Williams Photo credit: Four views of asteroid Bennu along with a corresponding global mosaic. The images were taken on Dec. 2, 2018, by the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft's PolyCam camera. Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona. Music Credits: “Rattlesnake Railroad”, “Big Western Sky”, “Western Adventure” and “Battle on the Western Frontier” by Brett Van Donsel (www.incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Professor Joellen Russell joins me to talk about her pathway into oceanography, the SOCCOM project, and life as a professor of biogeochemistry at the University of Arizona.

  Dr. Colin Bell is the Co-founder and Chief Growth Officer at Growcentia, a company that specializes in microbial plant bio-stimulants and the developers of Mammoth Microbes. Mammoth Microbes is a product designed to help cultivators find solutions for problems ranging from soil health to crop profitability. He left his position as Research Scientist I at Colorado State University to run a startup that is set to revolutionize the way the ag world looks at microbes. Colin obtained his Ph.D. in Microbiology, Soil Microbiology, Biogeochemistry, and Ecology as well as his Ph.D. in Biology and Soil Microbial Ecology from Texas Tech University.   Colin joins me today to share how Mammoth Microbes can help the cannabis industry reach its full agricultural potential. He describes his life as a researcher and why he wanted to start Mammoth Microbes. He explains how their product works and it's potential for cannabis cultivators. Colin also discusses some of the company’s plans for the future.   Stay tuned for our Five-Minute Farmer segment with Lanie White, the fourth generation owner of the McFarland White Ranch.     “Water is the unwritten constitution of California.” - Adam Borchard         This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Colin's career background and his work at Mammoth Microbes. The origins of Mammoth Microbes and how they came with the base tech they have in the market today. His transition from academia into the startup world. Their identity as a company and how they differentiate themselves in the industry. The data point on cannabis production and how they use them. The persona of the average cannabis grower today. Differences between outdoor grown cannabis and indoor grown varieties. Plans for the future and projects to look forward to.       Connect with Dr. Colin Bell:   Mammoth Microbes Mammoth Microbes Instagram Mammoth Microbes LinkedIn Colin Bell Instagram         This episode is sponsored by: Agri-Pulse - For the Latest in Ag Information   Regulation and policy have just as much impact on the agriculture industry and ag-business as Mother Nature. For 15 years, Agri-Pulse has been the leading resource for ag information, reporting on agricultural issues and policies occurring in Washington, D.C., Sacramento, and across the U.S. Agri-Pulse helps keep farmers and ag professionals up-to-date on the latest changes in rules and regulations impacting their businesses - before these policies become law.   Stay up-to-date on the latest ag issues and policies impacting your business by giving Agri-Pulse a test drive. Visit Agri-Pulse.com to start your 1-Month Free Trail today.     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram   

Fabian Taube studied Environmental and Health Protection, Chemistry and Education during his Bachelor and Master study at the Umeå University in Sweden and in 2003 he received a PhD in Inorganic Chemistry. After that, he continued experimenting with different subjects and had two postdocs - one at the Department of Chemistry, Environmental and Biogeochemistry and another at the Dept. of Teacher Education in mathematics, technology and Natural Sciences. He also worked as an occupational hygienist at Sahlgrenska University hospital and from 2012 he is employed as a specialist in preventive medicine at the Swedish Armed Forces Centre for Defense Medicine (SWE CDM).  For complete show notes, including links to items mentioned in this episode and a transcript of the podcast, visit www.phdcareerstories.com. You can also find us on social media: www.facebook.com/PhDCareerStories www.twitter.com/PhDCareerPod www.instagram.com/phdcareerstories

This podcast is an excerpt of the talk Dr. Charlotte Decock delivered at the 2017 Sustainable Ag Expo on understanding soil health - what soil health is, how to increase it, and how to measure it. Dr. Decock is an Assistant Professor Cal Poly - Earth & Soil Sciences. Charlotte Decock holds a faculty position in soil health and fertility at Cal Poly. Her teaching and research focus on sustainable fertilizer and soil management in California’s specialty crops. She earned a Ph.D. in Soils and Biogeochemistry from UC Davis and a M.Sc. in Environment Engineering from Ghent University (Belgium). During the last 10 years, her research has focused on soils and soil health. Currently her work focuses on which soil health indicators are most relevant to cropping systems in California. References: 19: Healthy Soils Program (Podcast) Charlotte Decock Floor Management for Soil Health NRCS Soil Quality Test Kit NRCS Soil Quality Test Kit Guide Sustainable Ag Expo   Listen to the latest science and research with the Sustainable Winegrowing Podcast. Since 1994, Vineyard Team has been your resource for workshops and field demonstrations, research, and events dedicated to the stewardship of our natural resources. Learn more at www.vineyardteam.org.

Peter Hernes is a professor at the University of California in Davis, CA, specializing in river biogeochemistry, but extending more broadly into any environment that contains naturally formed organic compounds. As an avid hiker, his interest in the environment is not just professional, but personal. To learn more about Holden Village, visit: www.holdenvillage.org To listen to more from Peter Hernes, visit: http://audio.holdenvillage.org/node/5796

Professor Cliff Law delivered his Inaugural Professorial Lecture on the 16th of February. Professor Law holds a joint appointment between Otago and NIWA, exploring the chemical interactions at the interface between the sea and the sky.

Professor Cliff Law delivered his Inaugural Professorial Lecture on the 16th of February. Professor Law holds a joint appointment between Otago and NIWA, exploring the chemical interactions at the interface between the sea and the sky.

Professor Cliff Law delivered his Inaugural Professorial Lecture on the 16th of February. Professor Law holds a joint appointment between Otago and NIWA, exploring the chemical interactions at the interface between the sea and the sky.

Professor Cliff Law delivered his Inaugural Professorial Lecture on the 16th of February. Professor Law holds a joint appointment between Otago and NIWA, exploring the chemical interactions at the interface between the sea and the sky.

The Ocean Acidification Symposium was presented by the Centre for Chemical and Physical Oceanography, in November of 2012. The day-long symposium featured brief presentations from a wide range of researchers, of which this is one: Steve Wilhelm explores the role of viruses in the ocean eco-system. Viruses break down bacteria making available many nutrients for the wider eco system.

The Ocean Acidification Symposium was presented by the Centre for Chemical and Physical Oceanography, in November of 2012. The day-long symposium featured brief presentations from a wide range of researchers, of which this is one: Dr Sylvia Sander talks about the vital role organic ligands play in the solubility of metals, particularly near geothermal vents. She discusses the importance of bioactive metals in food chains, in carbon, sulfur and nitrogen cycles.

NASA's Jennifer Eigenbrode talks with NASA EDGE about the organic Biogeochemistry Curiosity is tackling on the surface of Mars.

Biofuels: Threats and Opportunities It is possible to make biofuels that reduce carbon emissions, but only if we ensure that they do not lead to additional land clearing. When land is cleared for agriculture, carbon that is locked up in the plants and soil is released through burning and decomposition. The carbon is released as carbon dioxide, which is an important greenhouse gas, and causes further global warming. Converting rainforests, peatlands, savannas, or grasslands to produce food crop–based biofuels in Brazil, Southeast Asia, and the United States creates a “biofuel carbon debt” by releasing 17 to 420 times more carbon dioxide than the annual greenhouse gas reductions that these biofuels would provide by displacing fossil fuels. Depending on future biofuel production, the effects of this clearing could be significant for climate change: globally, there is almost three times as much carbon locked up in the plants and soils of the Earth as there is in the air and 20% of global carbon dioxide emissions come from land use change. Global demand for food is expected to double in the next 50 years and is unlikely to be met entirely from yield increases, thus requiring significant land clearing. If existing cropland is insufficient to meet imminent food demands, then any dedicated biofuel crop production will necessarily create demand for additional cropland to be cleared. Several forms of biofuels do not cause land clearing, including biofuels made from algae, from waste biomass, or from biomass grown on degraded and abandoned agricultural lands planted with perennials. Present Generation of Biofuels: Reducing or Enhancing Greenhouse Gas Emissions? Previous studies have found that substituting biofuels for gasoline will reduce greenhouse gasses because growing the crops for biofuels sequesters takes carbon out of the air that burning only puts back, while gasoline takes carbon out of the ground and puts it into the air. These analyses have typically not taken into consideration carbon emissions that result from farmers worldwide converting forest or grassland to produce biofuels, or that result from farmers worldwide responding to higher prices and converting forest and grassland into new cropland to replace the grain (or cropland) diverted to biofuels. Our revised analysis suggests that greenhouse gas emissions from the land use changes described above, for most biofuels that use productive land, are likely to substantially increase over the next 30 years. Even advanced biofuels from biomass, if produced on good cropland, could have adverse greenhouse gas effects. At the same time, diverting productive land raises crop prices and reduces consumption among the 2.8 billion people who live on less than $2 per day. Simply avoiding biofuels produced from new land conversion – as proposed by a draft European Union law -- does not avoid these global warming emissions because the world’s farmers will replace existing crops or cropland used for biofuels by expanding into other lands. The key to avoiding greenhouse gas emissions and hunger from land use change is to use feedstocks that do not divert the existing productive capacity of land – whether that production stores carbon (as in forest and grassland) or generates food or wood products. Waste products, including municipal and slash forest waste from private lands, agricultural residues and cover crops provide promising opportunities. There may also be opportunities to use highly unproductive grasslands where biomass crops can be grown productively, but those opportunities must be explored carefully. Biofuels and a Low-Carbon Economy The low-carbon fuel standard is a concept and legal requirement in California and an expanding number of states that targets the amount of greenhouse gases produced per unit of energy delivered to the vehicle, or carbon intensity. In January 2007, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Executive Order S-1-07 (http://gov.ca.gov/executive-order/5172/), which called for a 10-percent reduction in the carbon intensity of his state’s transportation fuels by 2020. A research team in which Dr. Kammen participated developed a technical analysis (http://www.energy.ca.gov/low_carbon_fuel_standard/UC-1000-2007-002-PT1.PDF) of low-carbon fuels that could be used to meet that mandate. That analysis employs a life-cycle, ‘cradle to grave’ analysis of different fuel types, taking into consideration the ecological footprint of all activities included in the production, transport, storage, and use of the fuel. Under a low-carbon fuel standard, fuel providers would track the “global warming intensity” (GWI) of their products and express it as a standardized unit of measure--the amount of carbon dioxide equivalent per amount of fuel delivered to the vehicle (gCO2e/MJ). This value measures vehicle emissions as well as other trade-offs, such as land-use changes that may result from biofuel production. For example, an analysis of ethanol shows that not all biofuels are created equal. While ethanol derived from corn but distilled in a coal-powered refinery is in fact worse on average than gasoline, some cellulosic-based biofuels -- largely those with little or no impact on agricultural or pristine lands have the potential for a dramatically lower GWI. Equipped with detailed measurements that relate directly to the objectives of a low-carbon fuel standard, policy makers are in a position to set standards for a state or nation, and then regulate the value down over time. The standard applies to the mix of fuels sold in a region, so aggressively pursuing cleaner fuels permits some percentage of more traditional, dirtier fuels to remain, a flexibility that can enhance the ability to introduce and enforce a new standard. The most important conclusions from this analysis are that biofuels can play a role in sustainable energy future, but the opportunities for truly low-carbon biofuels may be far more limited than initially thought. Second, a low-carbon economy requires a holistic approach to energy sources – both clean supply options and demand management – where consistent metrics for actual carbon emissions and impacts are utilized to evaluate options. Third, land-use impacts of biofuel choices have global, not just local, impact, and a wider range of options, including, plug-in hybrid vehicles, dramatically improved land-use practices including sprawl management and curtailment, and greatly increased and improved public transport all have major roles to play. Biofuels and Greenhouse Gas Emissions: A Better Path Forward The recent controversy over biofuels notwithstanding, the US has the potential to meet the legislated 21 billion gallon biofuel goal with biofuels that, on average, exceed the targeted reduction in greenhouse gas release, but only if feedstocks are produced properly and biofuel facilities meet their energy demands with biomass. A diversity of alternative feedstocks can offer great GHG benefits. The largest GHG benefits will come from dedicated perennial crops grown with low inputs of fertilizer on degraded lands, and especially from those crops that increase carbon storage in soil (e.g., switchgrass, mixed species prairie, and Miscanthus). These may offer 100% or perhaps greater reductions in GHG relative to gasoline. Agricultural and forestry residues, and dedicated woody crops, including hybrid poplar and traditional pulp-like operations, should achieve 50% GHG reductions. In contrast, if biofuel production leads to direct or indirect land clearing, the resultant carbon debt can negate for decades or longer any greenhouse gas benefits a biofuel could otherwise provide. Current legislation, which is outcome based, has anticipated this problem by mandating GHG standards for current and next generation biofuels. Biographies Dr. Joseph E. Fargione is the Regional Science Director for The Nature Conservancy’s Central US Region. He received his doctorate in Ecology from the University of Minnesota in 2004. Prior to the joining The Nature Conservancy, he held positions as Assistant Research Faculty at the University of New Mexico (Biology Department), Assistant Professor at Purdue University (Departments of Biology and Forestry and Natural Resources), and Research Associate at the University of Minnesota (Departments of Applied Economics and Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior). His work has focused on the benefits of biodiversity and the causes and consequences of its loss. Most recently, he has studied the effect of increasing demand for biofuels on land use, wildlife, and carbon emissions. He has authored 18 papers published in leading scientific journals, including Science, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Proceedings of the Royal Society, Ecology, and Ecology Letters, and he was a coordinating lead author for the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment chapter titled “Biodiversity and the regulation of ecosystem services”. His recent paper in Science, “Land clearing and the biofuel carbon debt” was covered in many national media outlets, including the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, National Public Radio, NBC Nightly News, and Time Magazine. Timothy Searchinger is a Visiting Scholar and Lecturer in Public and International Affairs at Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School. He is also a Transatlantic Fellow of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, and a Senior Fellow at the Georgetown Environmental Law and Policy Institute. Trained as a lawyer, Dr. Searchinger now works primarily on interdisciplinary environmental issues related to agriculture. Timothy Searchinger previously worked at the Environmental Defense Fund, where he co-founded the Center for Conservation Incentives, and supervised work on agricultural incentive and wetland protection programs. He was also a deputy General Counsel to Governor Robert P. Casey of Pennsylvania and a law clerk to Judge Edward R. Becker of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He is a graduate, summa cum laude, of Amherst College and holds a J.D. from Yale Law School where he was Senior Editor of the Yale Law Journal. Timothy Searchinger first proposed the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program to USDA and worked closely with state officials to develop programs that have now restored one million acres of riparian buffers and wetlands to protect important rivers and bays. Searchinger received a National Wetlands Protection Award from the Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 for a book about the functions of seasonal wetlands of which he was principal author. His most recent writings focus on the greenhouse gas emissions from biofuels, and agricultural conservation strategies to clean-up nutrient runoff. He is also presently writing a book on the effects of agriculture on the environment and ways to reduce them. Dr. Daniel M. Kammen, Class of 1935 Distinguished Professor in the Energy and Resources Group (ERG), in the Goldman School of Public Policy and in the Department of Nuclear Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. He is also the founding Director of the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory (RAEL) and Co-Director of the Berkeley Institute of the Environment. Previously in his career, Dr. Kammen was an Assistant Professor of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, and also played a key role in developing the interdisciplinary Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy (STEP) Program at Princeton as STEP Chair from 1997 - 1999. In July of 1998 Kammen joined ERG as an Associate Professor of Energy and Society. Dr. Kammen received his undergraduate degree in physics from Cornell University (1984), and his masters and doctorate in physics from Harvard University (1986 & 1988) for work on theoretical solid state physics and computational biophysics. First at Caltech and then as a Lecturer in Physics and in the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, Dr. Kammen developed a number of projects focused on renewable energy technologies and environmental resource management. Dr. Kammen's research interests include: the science, engineering, and policy of renewable energy systems; health and environmental impacts of energy generation and use; rural resource management, including issues of gender and ethnicity; international R&D policy, climate change; and energy forecasting and risk analysis. He is the author of over 200 peer-reviewed journal publications, a book on environmental, technological, and health risks, and numerous reports on renewable energy and development. He has also been a lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. Dr. G. David Tilman is Regents' Professor and McKnight Presidential Chair in Ecology at the University of Minnesota. He is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences, and has served on editorial boards of nine scholarly journals, including Science. He serves on the Advisory Board for the Max Plank Institute for Biogeochemistry in Jena, Germany. He has received the Ecological Society of America’s Cooper Award and its MacArthur Award, the Botanical Society of America’s Centennial Award, the Princeton Environmental Prize and was named a J. S. Guggenheim Fellow. He has written two books, edited three books, and published more than 200 papers in the peer-reviewed literature, including more than 30 papers in Science, Nature and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. The Institute for Scientific Information recently designated him as the world’s most highly cited environmental scientist of the decade. Dr. Tilman’s recent research explores how managed and natural ecosystems can sustainably meet human needs for food, energy and ecosystem services. A long-term focus of his research is on the causes, consequence and conservation of biological diversity, including using biodiversity as a tool for biofuel production and climate stabilization through carbon sequestration. His work on renewable energy examines the full environmental, energetic and economic costs and benefits of alternative biofuels and modes of their production.