Emily Bernhardt

[2] Bernhardt received her Bachelor of Sciences degree in biology with a minor in chemistry from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill in 1996.

[4][5] Bernhardt conducted her dissertation research at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, in New Hampshire, USA, studying how headwater streams modify watershed nutrient export.

While presenting a poster at the Ecological Society of America conference, Bernhardt met her future postdoctoral advisor, Bill Schlesinger, who was a professor at Duke University at the time and offered her a position on the spot.

As a postdoc, Bernhardt continued to work on nitrogen cycling, however, this time focusing in the rooting zones of pine trees in poorly drained soils rather than in streams.

Leveraging long-term datasets at Hubbard Brook and other sites, Bernhardt and her colleagues have studied the effects of climate change and whole-ecosystem experimental treatments on watershed nitrogen export.

In an article in The Chronicle of Higher Education, Bernhardt and co-authors urge scientists to prioritize intellectual curiosity, societal impact, and creativity rather than focusing only on traditional academic success metrics (e.g.

Bernhardt expresses her disgust of both issues and offers her thoughts on how to amend the culture within the Society for Freshwater Science, focusing on a quote that was popular on Twitter stating, "Everyone here is smart, distinguish yourself by being kind."

A wide-angle image showing Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in the fall. Trees in fall foliage are in the background with prairie in the foreground. The forest and prairie are separated by a small paved road.
Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest where Bernhardt conducted her dissertation research.
Mountaintop mining site with flattened land revealing dirt and mining roads in the foreground and unmined mountains in the background.
A mountaintop removal mining site.