Katerina Georgiou

Katerina Georgiou is an Assistant Professor in the Biological & Ecological Engineering Department at Oregon State University (OSU), where she leads the Soil Systems Lab. She holds an affiliate position at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab and previously served as a Lawrence Fellow and Staff Scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Lab. Her research focuses on soil biogeochemistry, carbon cycling, and ecosystem modeling, aiming to enhance understanding of soil carbon dynamics under climate change. Dr. Georgiou earned her Ph.D. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from UC Berkeley (2018) and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Minnesota (2012).

Her work investigates mineral-organic associations, microbial thermal responses, and soil carbon saturation to improve climate models. Notable achievements include the 2025 EGU Outstanding Early Career Scientist Award and Nature Communications' Top 25 Articles (2022). She mentors students like Anthony Stewart, whose 2025 PhD thesis addressed wetland soil carbon dynamics. Her lab explores soil carbon vulnerability, mineral-driven stabilization, and innovative plant traits for carbon sequestration. Collaborative efforts involve global data harmonization and interdisciplinary projects linking soil science with climate mitigation strategies.

• Education:
  • Ph.D., UC Berkeley (2018)
  • B.S., University of Minnesota (2012)
• Awards:
  • EGU Outstanding Early Career Scientist Award (2025)
  • Nature Communications Top 25 (2022)
  • DOE Graduate Fellowship (2017)
• Labs/Teams: Soil Systems Lab (OSU), collaborating with institutions like LLNL and Berkeley Lab.

Advances include bridging empirical data and models to address soil carbon saturation debates and microbial carbon use efficiency. Her research impacts global climate projections and sustainable soil management practices.