Asmeret Asefaw Berhe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Asmeret Asefaw Berhe
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| Director, Office of Science, Department of Energy | |
| In office May 19, 2022 – March 28, 2024 |
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| President | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Chris Fall |
| Succeeded by | Harriet Kung (acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Asmara, Ethiopia |
| Spouse | Teamrat Ghezzehei |
| Alma mater | University of Asmara, Michigan State University, University of California, Berkeley |
| Website | https://aaberhe.com/ |
Asmeret Asefaw Berhe is a scientist who studies soil and the environment. She is known for her work as a biogeochemist and political ecologist. From 2022 to 2024, she was the Director of the Office of Science at the US Department of Energy.
Currently, she is a professor at the University of California, Merced. Her research team studies how soil helps control the Earth's climate. They look at how soil stores carbon, which is important for our planet.
Contents
Education and Early Life
Berhe was born and grew up in Asmara, Eritrea. She earned her first degree in Soil and Water Conservation from the University of Asmara. In her class of 55 students, she was one of only three women studying soil science.
Later, she went to Michigan State University. There, she earned her master's degree in Political Ecology. She focused on how land is damaged, especially by things like landmines.
She then studied for her PhD at the University of California, Berkeley. She earned her degree in Biogeochemistry. Her research looked at how erosion affects the exchange of carbon between land and air. She discovered that erosion can actually help soil store more carbon. After her PhD, she continued her research at UC Berkeley and then at University of California, Davis.
Important Research
Berhe's research focuses on how changes in the environment affect soil. She studies how things like fire, erosion, and climate change impact soil processes. Her team wants to understand how these changes affect important elements like carbon and nitrogen in the soil.
One of her projects looks at how drought and wildfires affect soil's ability to store carbon. This work takes her to places like Yosemite National Park and the Sierra Nevada for fieldwork. Because California often has droughts, this research is very important to the public.
Her work also includes political ecology. She studies how armed conflicts can damage land. She also looks at how people interact with their environment. Berhe has written about how global changes, soil, and human safety are connected. This includes topics like food security and water quality. She also suggests ways to manage soil in a sustainable way.
Her research has received support from many groups. These include the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Energy.
Helping Science and the World
Berhe's work connects soil, climate change, and political ecology. This helps her address many global issues. During her graduate studies, she was part of a group that created the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. This report was requested by the United Nations. It looked at how humans impact the environment. She was a main author for a chapter in the 2005 report. This report later won the Zayed International Prize for the Environment.
In 2018, Berhe was chosen for the first group of "New Voices" by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. This program selects young leaders. They work to discuss important global issues and share scientific evidence.
Berhe also supports women in science. She helped lead ADVANCEGeo, a program that works to improve the workplace for women in earth sciences. The goal is to help more women stay in the field. This program received a large grant from the National Science Foundation.
She has also served on the advisory board for 500 Women Scientists. This group works to make science open and welcoming to everyone. She is also on the leadership board of the Earth Science Women's Network.
Berhe has given over 200 talks around the world. These include two TED Talks. She speaks about soil science, climate change solutions, and more. Her work has been featured by many news outlets. These include the BBC, NPR, and Teen Vogue.
Work at the Department of Energy
After being nominated by President Joe Biden, Asmeret Asefaw Berhe became the Director of the Office of Science at the Department of Energy (DOE). The Office of Science is the biggest supporter of basic research in physical sciences in the U.S.
Its main goal is to make scientific discoveries. It also creates major scientific tools. These help us understand nature and improve energy, economy, and national security.
As Director, she oversaw many programs and managed grants. These grants went to universities, national labs, and industry partners. She also helped manage ten national laboratories and 28 scientific user facilities.
Some important things happened during her time as Director:
- The Office of Science budget grew each year she was in the position. This led to the largest budget the office has ever had.
- Two new programs were started to help new research institutions. These were called RENEW (a training program) and FAIR (a program to build research ability).
- For the first time, all funding requests had to include a plan. This plan was called the "Promoting Inclusive and Equitable Research (PIER) plan." It aimed to make research more fair and welcoming.
- More funding became available for scientists early in their careers. This included money for international travel and increased support for graduate students.
Awards and Honors
- Member, National Academy of Engineering
- Fellow & Joanne Simpson Medal, American Geophysical Union
- Fellow & Bromery Award, The Geological Society of America
- John Hayes Award, Geochemical Society
- University of California, Berkeley's President's Postdoctoral Fellowship Awardee, 2006
- Hellman Family Foundation Fellow, 2011
- NSF CAREER Award, 2014
- Young Investigator Award, Sigma Xi, 2014
- New Voices in Science, Engineering, and Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, 2018
- Randolph W. "Bill" and Cecile T. Bromery Award, Geological Society of America, 2019
- Great Immigrants Award, Carnegie Corporation of New York, 2020
See Also
In Spanish: Asmeret Asefaw Berhe para niños
