Whendee Silver

Whendee Silver is a Professor of Ecosystem Ecology and Biogeochemistry in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management at UC Berkeley. She holds a PhD from Yale University and focuses on biogeochemical impacts of climate change and human activities, with emphasis on soil carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas dynamics, and land-based climate mitigation. Her work spans tropical forests, agricultural systems, and peatlands, leading initiatives like the Marin Carbon Project to leverage compost for carbon sequestration.

Education: PhD in Ecosystem Ecology (Yale, 1992), MS in Forest Science (Yale, 1987), B.IS. in Environmental Studies (1982). Research emphasizes climate change mitigation via soil management, drought/hurricane impacts on tropical ecosystems, and agricultural peatland emissions. The Silver Lab has pioneered soil carbon sequestration strategies, earning the 2015 American Carbon Registry Innovation Prize.

Research interests include ecosystem resilience, nitrogen cycling, and redox dynamics in soils. Over 200 peer-reviewed articles highlight her work on compost applications, wetland restoration, and microbial feedbacks. Awards include AAAS, AGU, and ESA fellowships, plus UC Climate Champion recognition (2016).

Scientific contributions span grants, lab leadership (Silver Lab), and policy engagement. Collaborations include the Luquillo LTER and Marin Carbon Project. Current projects address soil carbon potential in California rangelands and tropical forest resilience to climate extremes.