Stephanie Schmiege

Stephanie Schmiege is an Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences at Union College. She is affiliated with the Department of Biological Sciences and is based in the Integrated Science and Engineering Complex (ISEC) 335. Her work focuses on plant physiological responses to environmental stressors under future climate conditions, combining physiology, biochemistry, and modeling approaches.

She holds a B.A. from Bowdoin College and a Ph.D. from Columbia University. Her research spans diverse ecosystems, including tropical highlands in Vietnam, boreal forests in Alaska, and Arctic tundra, addressing plant functionality across spatial scales from leaves to canopies.

Research interests include understanding how plants adapt to climate change via mechanisms like photorespiration, respiration dynamics, and photosynthetic pathways. Recent publications highlight her focus on climate-driven physiological changes, pathway interactions, and ecosystem-specific adaptations. She has also contributed to methodological advancements in measuring plant responses under non-steady-state conditions.

No scientific awards are explicitly listed for Stephanie Schmiege. She advises students through Union College’s research opportunities and teaches courses such as Cellular Foundations of Life (BIO 104) and Plant EcoPhysiology (BIO 353). Her research has explored vertical physiological gradients in white spruce and respiratory differences in tropical conifers linked to leaf morphology.