Dr. Meredith Steele, phd

Meredith was raised in Germantown, MD.   Watching her home town transform from a small agricultural community to bustling residential suburb of Washington DC must have seeded her interest in land use change and ecosystem transformation early.  Meredith attended the University of Maryland, College Park and received two Bachelor’s degrees, one in Environmental Science and Policy and a second in Natural Resource Economics, and then a Master’s degree in Soil Science.  After her Master’s program, Meredith left the east coast and moved to College Station, TX to study urban nutrient management at Texas A&M.  Upon receiving her doctorate in 2011, Meredith accepted a post-doctoral position in the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University.  In 2013, she accepted the Landscape Ecosystems faculty position in CSES as part of a cluster hire focused on water issues.

At Virginia Tech, Meredith’s research program focuses on macroscale change and biogeochemistry in landscapes that are developed for urban and agricultural uses.   Part of the emerging field of macrosystems ecology, she investigates patterns, linkages, and feedbacks between broad- and fine-scale ecosystem processes.  She works to be a problem solver and enjoy thinking about and engaging a wide range of issues that face modern society.

Outside of work Meredith enjoys spending time with her husband, Jonathan, her sons Alex and Logan, their two cats, and friends and family.  She also continues to pursue activities in world dance, the visual arts, and generally experiencing a full a life.

At a glance:

PhD   Urban Biogeochemistry, Texas A&M University, 2011

MS     Soil Health, University of Maryland, College Park, 2007

BS      Environmental Science, University of Maryland, College Park,  2004

BS      Agriculture and Natural Resource Economics, University of Maryland, College Park,  2004