Elizabeth Guthrie Nichols

Elizabeth Guthrie Nichols is a Professor in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources at North Carolina State University (NC State), part of the College of Natural Resources. Her research focuses on pollutant fate in forest systems, bioenergy crop development, and sustainable land use. She holds a B.S. from Emory University (1987), an M.S. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1994), and a Ph.D. from UNC Chapel Hill (1997).

Her work emphasizes environmental technology, particularly phytoremediation and water quality management. Notable projects include optimizing poplar for bioenergy production, assessing wood pellet use in poultry farming, and evaluating groundwater contamination risks. She leads grants totaling over $4 million from USDA and state agencies, addressing topics like minority workforce development in forestry and biofuel sustainability.

Publications highlight her expertise in contaminant detection via mass spectrometry, flood impacts on aquifers, and poplar productivity. Nichols collaborates with industry partners such as Columbia Forest Products and contributes to policy through extension programs targeting private well management and agricultural sustainability.