Overview
Ryan Emanuel is a hydrologist and community-engaged scholar from North Carolina. He studies ecohydrology, biogeosciences, environmental justice, and Indigenous rights. Emanuel leads a group of researchers and scholars who study water and watery places in North Carolina and beyond. His group also partners with Native American Tribes and other communities to understand environmental change through the lenses of environmental justice and Indigenous rights. Their work involves research, education, and relationship-building. Emanuel aims to amplify voices of Indigenous and other marginalized communities who shoulder disproportionate environmental burdens.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Associate Professor of Hydrology
·
2022 - Present
Environmental Sciences and Policy,
Nicholas School of the Environment
In the News
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Recent Publications
Injected Tracer Reveals Differences in Water Transport Rate, Residence Times and Mixing Dynamics in Tree Species of Contrasting Water Management Strategies
Journal Article Hydrological Processes · March 1, 2025 Studies have shown that water can reside inside trees for up to several months, but how the duration of long-term stored water relates to species-specific water management strategies is not known. We studied water residence time, tracer velocity, and inter ... Full text CiteNear-term ecological forecasting for climate change action
Journal Article Nature Climate Change · December 1, 2024 A substantial increase in predictive capacity is needed to anticipate and mitigate the widespread change in ecosystems and their services in the face of climate and biodiversity crises. In this era of accelerating change, we cannot rely on historical patte ... Full text CiteEarth Observation Data to Support Environmental Justice: Linking Non-Permitted Poultry Operations to Social Vulnerability Indices.
Journal Article GeoHealth · December 2024 Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) apply massive amounts of untreated waste to nearby farmlands, with severe environmental health impacts of swine CAFOs and proximity to disadvantaged communities well documented in some US regions. Most studies ... Full text CiteRecent Grants
Tribal Coastal Resilience Connections Phase II
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by NC Department of Environmental Quality · 2024 - 2025THELORACS: Tree Health Evaluated using LiDAR, Optical, and Radar Applications across Coastal Systems
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University of Virginia - Charlottesville · 2022 - 2025Collaborative Research: ER2 Incubation Project: A Pilot Study of Indigenous Perspectives on Ethical and Responsible Research
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2024 - 2025View All Grants
Education, Training & Certifications
University of Virginia ·
2007
Ph.D.