Biography
Dr. Rebecca Barnes
AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow
Directorate for Geosciences
Office of the Assistant Director
Class of 2022–2023
Dr. Rebecca (Becca) Barnes joins the Office of the Assistant Director for Geosciences as a fellow working with the Global Change Research Program. She earned her Ph.D. in forestry and environmental studies from Yale University and master's degrees in environmental science and public affairs from Indiana University's O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. During her tenure at Colorado College her research program reflected this interdisciplinary training, with research centered at the intersection of society, hydrology and geochemistry. As a biogeochemist she is interested in understanding how ecosystems process nitrogen and carbon and unraveling how disturbance (e.g., fire, land use change, warming) affects these critical global elemental cycles. Barnes was recognized for her work in 2019 with the Sulzman Award for Excellence through Education and Mentoring from the American Geophysical Union and an NSF CAREER Award in 2020. As part of her roles on the leadership of 500 Women Scientists, as co-PI of the PROGRESS mentoring program, and the ADVANCEGeo Partnership, she has developed and facilitated workshops and trainings aimed at broadening equity and inclusion in STEM.