Asmeret Asefaw Berhe

Asmeret Asefaw Berhe is an Eritrean-American soil biogeochemist and political ecologist recognized for her pioneering research on how soil organic matter and carbon cycling are affected by erosion, climate change, and human conflict. She has held significant leadership roles in the United States Department of Energy and serves as a professor at the University of California, Merced. Her interdisciplinary work bridges earth science, environmental science, and social science, earning her election to the National Academy of Sciences and other prestigious institutions.

Early life and education

Born in Asmara, Eritrea, she completed her undergraduate studies in soil science at the University of Asmara. She then moved to the United States for graduate work, earning a Master of Science from Michigan State University. She pursued her doctoral degree at the University of California, Berkeley, where she studied under renowned ecologist John Harte and investigated the effects of wildfire on soil carbon storage in California ecosystems, receiving her Ph.D. in 2006.

Academic career and research

Following her doctorate, she conducted postdoctoral research at the University of California, Davis before joining the faculty at the University of California, Merced in the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences. Her research laboratory focuses on the biogeochemistry of soil organic carbon, particularly its vulnerability to land use change, disturbance, and global warming. A key aspect of her work examines the role of soil erosion in the global carbon cycle and its implications for climate change mitigation strategies. She has also published influential work on the intersection of soil security and armed conflict.

Political appointment and policy work

In 2022, she was nominated by President Joe Biden and confirmed by the United States Senate as the Director of the Office of Science within the United States Department of Energy. In this role, she leads one of the nation's largest sponsors of basic research in the physical sciences, overseeing a portfolio that includes major scientific user facilities like the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. Her appointment marked a significant milestone, as she became the first woman and first African-born director of the office.

Awards and honors

Her scientific contributions have been widely recognized by major professional societies. She was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Geophysical Union. In 2023, she was elected as a member of the National Academy of Sciences, one of the highest honors in American science. She has also received awards such as the American Society of Agronomy's Early Career Award and the Biogeosciences Division Award from the European Geosciences Union.

Selected publications

* Berhe, A. A., et al. (2007). "The significance of the erosion-induced terrestrial carbon sink." BioScience. * Berhe, A. A., et al. (2012). "Persistence of soil organic matter in eroding versus depositional landform positions." Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences. * Berhe, A. A., & Kleber, M. (2013). "Erosion, deposition, and the persistence of soil organic matter: mechanistic considerations and problems with terminology." Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. * Berhe, A. A., et al. (2020). "Role of Soil Erosion in Biogeochemical Cycling of Essential Elements: Carbon, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus." Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences. * Berhe, A. A. (2022). "Soil and human security in the 21st century." Science.

Category:1974 births Category:Living people Category:Eritrean scientists Category:American soil scientists Category:University of California, Merced faculty Category:Members of the United States National Academy of Sciences Category:University of California, Berkeley alumni Category:People from Asmara