2026 EnviroDay Keynote Speaker – Dr. Emily Bernhardt
Dr. Emily Bernhardt is an ecosystem ecologist and biogeochemist whose research is principally concerned with tracking the movement of elements through ecological systems. Growing up in a small town in western North Carolina, her love for the Appalachian mountains inspired her to pursue a degree in Ecology at the University of North Carolina, later earning her Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Cornell University in 2001. She joined Duke University in 2004 and is now the James B. Duke Distinguished Professor of Biology, with a joint appointment in the Nicholas School of the Environment. Dr. Bernhardt’s research examines how land-use change (including urbanization, agriculture, and mining), global change (such as rising CO₂ and sea levels), and chemical pollution alter the structure and function of aquatic ecosystems. Her current research spans Appalachian and Northeastern forests, the rapidly urbanizing North Carolina Piedmont, agricultural fields and wetlands of the NC coastal plain, and the Madre de Dios region of Peru. Across all these landscapes, her work seeks to understand whether ecosystem changes can be mitigated through active management. You can learn more about Dr. Bernhardt and current and former members of her lab on her website.
Check out Dr. Bernhardt’s research website and learn more about our 2026 EnviroDay speaker by clicking here!