AS
Member Since 2011
Angelia Seyfferth
Associate Professor, University of Delaware
Professional Experience
University of Delaware
Associate Professor
2012 - Present
Education
University of Delaware
Doctorate
2008
Honors & Awards
Charles S. Falkenberg Award
Received December 2022
Citation
Dr. Angelia Seyfferth’s research brings geochemical insight to
societally critical problems, mostly focusing on healthy and sustainable
rice production systems and salt marsh biogeochemistry and carbon
cycling. Her research focuses on how small-scale soil-chemical processes
influence contaminant (e.g., arsenic, cadmium, lead) and nutrient
(e.g., silicon, phosphorus, iron, sulfur) release or attenuation, which
has large-scale impacts on human and environmental health. A variety of
cutting-edge approaches are utilized, including the coupling of
laboratory experiments (for mechanistic information) and field-based
observations to decipher contaminant and nutrient cycling and plant
interactions under environmentally relevant conditions. Her work takes a
systemic view of both research areas, investigating many potential
pitfalls and trade-offs of different solutions. Specifically, her
research on rice helped detect and elucidate the challenges of grain
metal(loid) uptake — unfortunately, the anaerobic, flooded conditions of
rice production allow the migration of arsenic into the grain, where it
poses a human health risk. She uses big data to solve big problems in
societally relevant metal cycling through the use of state-of the-art
synchrotron analysis and data visualization of what is actually
happening in the plant-soil interface with regard to contaminant uptake.
The collection of rhizosphere chemistry images as well as grain arsenic
images using synchrotron techniques has produced chemical "photographs"
that can be used to better "see" what is happening.
Dr. Seyfferth’s work not only details the arsenic species present in
rice plants and their distribution therein; it also takes a
solution-oriented approach by investigating beneficial roles of silicon
and irrigation water management in reducing the arsenic concentrations.
Given the importance of rice as a food crop, particularly in developing
nations and poor communities, the risks are great. Ultimately, she
conducts basic research that can be applied to benefit society on a
local-to-global scale.
Dr. Seyfferth has an unmatched ability to communicate the research she
is so passionate about through her natural affability. She can
effortlessly teach to a room full of students, receiving university-wide
teaching recognition in the process; she can understandably explain the
importance of contamination and responsible farming practices to a
layperson; she can motivate and lead groups of natural and social
scientists through interdisciplinary projects; she captures the
attention of funding programs and government leaders as attested by her
hugely successful grant and publication records. On top of her
impressive research and academic rigor, she makes time to devote to
outreach programs within the community that have made considerable
impacts on environmental awareness.
— Brandi Kiel Reese
Dauphin Island Sea Lab and University of South Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Response
I am deeply honored to be named the 2022 recipient of the
Charles S. Falkenberg Award. Charles Falkenberg’s legacy of data
visualization for societal good has touched many people and will
continue to live on. I am incredibly proud to be among the prestigious
list of previous awardees.
My inspiration for using and communicating scientific knowledge
to help people and the planet came from my grandparents, Len and Grace
Bryant, and my late brother, Donny Seyfferth. From a very young age, my
grandparents were instrumental in developing my passion for
environmental science. My brother Donny was always smiling and received
joy by doing good in the world and making others smile. I dedicate this
award to them, for I wouldn’t be who I am as a scientist or a person
without their influence.
I am sincerely grateful to the colleagues who supported my
nomination and especially to Brandi Kiel Reese for nominating me. Thank
you, Brandi! You have always been a supportive cheerleader and true
friend in my corner.
To the many incredible students, collaborators and mentors I
have had the privilege and pleasure of working with over the years,
thank you! I wouldn’t be here without you. Thank you to my incredible
research group (both past and present), you rock! Thank you to my
undergraduate research adviser, Ryan Casey, and my analytical chemistry
professor, Joe Topping, who gave me confidence that this girl who
transferred from a community college could (should?) go to graduate
school. Thank you to Dave Parker, my Ph.D. adviser, who took a chance on
me and taught me a field of plant-contaminant interactions that was
different from phytoremediation. Thank you to Scott Fendorf, my postdoc
adviser, who let me “play” at the synchrotron to visualize metal(loid)s
in plants and who continues to be a steadfast mentor and friend.
I am thankful to Brandi, my mentors, my research group,
collaborators and friends who have supported me throughout my career. I
am grateful for the love and unwavering support of my family. I thank
the selection committee for honoring me with the Charles S. Falkenberg
Award.
— Angelia Seyfferth
University of Delaware
Newark, Delaware
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Publications
![](/-/media/Feature/Common/Agu/Images/Publications/Journals/JGR-Biogeosciences.jpg?h=1500&w=1501&hash=EB9797DB0241848E76884C84786ABC47)
Physiochemical Controls on the Horizontal Exchange of Blue Carbon Across the Salt Marsh‐Tidal Channe...
Tidal channels are biogeochemical hotspots that horizontally exchange carbon (C) with marsh platforms, but the physiochemical drivers controlling t...
June 06, 2023
![](/-/media/Feature/Common/Agu/Images/Publications/Journals/JGR-Biogeosciences.jpg?h=1500&w=1501&hash=EB9797DB0241848E76884C84786ABC47)
Hyperspectral Reflectance for Measuring Canopy‐Level Nutrien...
November 17, 2022
![](/-/media/Feature/Common/Agu/Images/Publications/Journals/JGR-Biogeosciences.jpg?h=1500&w=1501&hash=EB9797DB0241848E76884C84786ABC47)
Carbon Dioxide and Methane Emissions From Temperate Salt Mar...
August 05, 2020
![](/-/media/Feature/Common/Agu/Images/Publications/Journals/JGR-Biogeosciences.jpg?h=1500&w=1501&hash=EB9797DB0241848E76884C84786ABC47)
Effects of Extreme Events on Arsenic Cycling in Salt Marshes
March 26, 2018
AGU Abstracts
Biogeochemical Cycling of Blue Carbon in Coastal Wetlands Under Rising Seas
COASTAL WETLAND CARBON AND NITROGEN CYCLES: RECENT ADVANCES IN MEASUREMENTS, MODELING, AND SYNTHESES I ORAL
biogeosciences | 12 december 2022
Sean Fettrow, Ginny L. Jeppi, Andrew S. Wozniak, H...
Blue Carbon (C) stored in coastal wetland soils has recently been considered a natural climate solution, but uncertainty exists in C fluxes within the...
View Abstract
Factors Contributing to Increased Arsenic in Rice Under Warmer Temperatures
ASSESSING LINKAGES BETWEEN FOOD SYSTEMS AND HUMAN HEALTH UNDER CLIMATE CHANGE I ORAL
global environmental change | 16 december 2021
Yasmine A. Farhat, Soo-hyung Kim, Angelia Seyffert...
Recent studies indicate that warmer temperatures can increase concentrations of arsenic in rice. Arsenic is a toxin and carcinogen commonly found in r...
View Abstract
Drivers and impacts of marsh migration in the coastal critical zone
INTEGRATING AND ADVANCING UNDERSTANDING OF COASTAL ECOSYSTEM STRUCTURE, FUNCTION, AND DYNAMICS I ORAL
biogeosciences | 15 december 2021
Holly A. Michael, Julia Guimond, Yu-Ping (Yo) Chin...
Ghost forests and abandoned farms are stark indicators of ecological change along world coastlines, caused by sea level rise (SLR). These changes adve...
View Abstract
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