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, Ethiopian Empire (now Eritrea) |
| 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. She looks at how soil affects the Earth's climate and how people interact with their environment. From 2022 to 2024, she was the Director of the Office of Science at the US Department of Energy. She is also a professor at the University of California, Merced. Her team works to understand how soil helps control the Earth's climate.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Asmeret Asefaw Berhe was born and grew up in Asmara, which is now in Eritrea. She earned her first degree in Soil and Water Conservation from the University of Asmara. In her soil science class, she was one of only three women among 55 students.
She then went to Michigan State University for her master's degree. There, she studied how landmines can harm the land. She learned about how people and their environment affect each other.
Later, she earned her Ph.D. in Biogeochemistry from the University of California, Berkeley. Her research focused on how soil erosion affects the exchange of carbon between the land and the air. She discovered that erosion can actually help soil store more carbon. After her Ph.D., she continued her research at UC Berkeley and then at the University of California, Davis.
Her Research Work
Dr. Berhe's research focuses on how changes in the environment affect soil. She studies how things like fires, erosion, and climate change impact important processes in the soil. Her team wants to understand how these changes affect how elements like carbon and nitrogen move through the soil.
One of her projects looks at how droughts and wildfires change the soil's ability to store carbon. This work takes her to places like Yosemite National Park and the Sierra Nevada mountains for fieldwork. Since California often has droughts, this research is very important to the public.
Her work also includes political ecology. This means she studies how conflicts, like wars, can damage land. She also looks at how people and their environment interact. Dr. Berhe has written about how global changes, soil, and human safety are connected. This includes topics like food security and clean water. 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 the World
Dr. Berhe's work on soil, climate change, and how people interact with their environment helps solve global problems. When she was a student, she was part of a group that created the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. This project looked at how humans affect the environment. She helped write a chapter about the "Drivers of Change in Ecosystem Condition and Services." This important report won an award in 2005.
In 2018, Dr. Berhe was chosen for a special group called "New Voices in Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine." This group brings together young leaders to discuss important global issues. They work to share scientific information about these challenges.
Dr. Berhe also supports women in science. She helped lead a program called ADVANCEGeo. This program works to make workplaces in earth sciences better for women. The goal is to help more women stay in these fields. This program has partnered with groups like the Earth Science Women's Network and the American Geophysical Union.
She has given over 200 talks around the world. These talks are about soil science, climate change solutions, and more. She has spoken at the White House and to members of Congress. Her work has been featured by many news outlets, including the BBC, NPR, and Teen Vogue.
Leading at the Department of Energy
From 2022 to 2024, Dr. Berhe served as the Director of the Office of Science at the Department of Energy (DOE). The President of the United States, Joe Biden, nominated her for this role. The US Senate then approved her appointment.
The Office of Science is the biggest supporter of basic research in physical sciences in the United States. Its goal is to make scientific discoveries and create tools that help us understand nature. This also helps with energy, the economy, and national security.
As Director, Dr. Berhe oversaw many important tasks. She managed eight different science programs. She also oversaw grants given to hundreds of universities, all 17 national laboratories of the Department of Energy, and industry partners. She was also in charge of ten national laboratories and 28 large scientific user facilities. Her job included getting funding for physical sciences and overseeing the work at these labs and facilities.
During her time as Director, some important things happened:
- The budget for the Office of Science grew each year she was there. This led to the largest budget the office had ever received.
- She launched two new programs to help smaller research institutions. These programs helped train new scientists and build research abilities.
- She made it a requirement for all funding requests to include a plan for "Promoting Inclusive and Equitable Research." This helps make sure research is fair and open to everyone.
- More funding became available for scientists who were just starting their careers. This included money for travel, graduate student support, and larger awards for research projects.
Awards and Honors
Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe has received many awards for her important work:
- Member of the National Academy of Engineering
- Fellow and Joanne Simpson Medal, American Geophysical Union
- Fellow and Bromery Award, The Geological Society of America
- John Hayes Award, Geochemical Society
- President's Postdoctoral Fellowship Awardee, University of California, Berkeley, 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
