Meredith Holgerson

Meredith Holgerson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Cornell University, affiliated with the College of Arts and Sciences. Her research focuses on freshwater ecology, particularly the biogeochemical and ecological dynamics of ponds, lakes, and wetlands. She holds a Ph.D. from Yale University, an M.S. from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and a B.S. from Denison University.

Her research investigates how freshwater ecosystems respond to environmental change, including studies on greenhouse gas emissions, food webs, and nutrient dynamics. Key areas include pond classification, the role of terrestrial inputs in food webs, and the impacts of urbanization on small waterbodies. Holgerson’s work combines field studies, experimental approaches, and remote sensing to scale local observations globally.

She leads the Holgerson Lab at Cornell, which emphasizes collaborative projects and interdisciplinary approaches. Notable contributions include defining functional distinctions between ponds and lakes, quantifying methane emissions from small waterbodies, and understanding the ecological roles of amphibians in floodplains. Awards include the Raymond L. Lindeman Award (2016) for excellence in aquatic science research.

Holgerson teaches courses in ecology, including Ph.D. dissertation research supervision and undergraduate research mentorship. She actively recruits graduate students and mentors undergraduates in freshwater science, with opportunities in both field and lab settings.