Elizabeth W. Boyer

Professor of Environmental Science, Department of Ecosystem Science & Management
Co-hire, Penn State Institute of Energy & the Environment
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Education: B.S. Geography, with a minor in Science, Technology, & Society, Penn State University | M.S. & Ph.D., Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia | Post-doc, Dept. of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University

Interests: hydrological processes, water quality, environmental systems, science-technology-society interactions, interdisciplinary research, graduate education, research development.

Research: Water is essential to life, sustains diverse ecosystems, and is at the core of sustainable development. My primary research areas include: 1) Coupled Processes — understanding how hydrological, biological, geochemical, and human interactions control water quality; and 2) Watershed Management — integrating ecohydrological principles within integrated frameworks for sustainable watershed protection. Reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of my research, I have collaborated with >500 researchers from around the world on my publications. My work contributes to the scientific basis for policy and management strategies to protect, conserve, and restore surface waters.

Current Projects: My latest research focuses on integrated studies of the Earth’s Critical Zone — where rock, soil, water, air, wildlife, and humans interact, sustaining life and driving essential processes such as nutrient cycling and water filtration. I was a founding co-PI of the Southern Sierra Critical Zone Observatory (in California), and led research at the Leading Ridge Watersheds within the Susquehanna Shale Hills Critical Zone Observatory (in Pennsylvania). Currently, I co-lead the national hub of the U.S. Critical Zone Collaborative Network and the international Critical Zone Network of Networks. These collaborative efforts drive interdisciplinary research and facilitate open data sharing, advancing scientific understanding of complex landscapes and enabling solutions to pressing environmental challenges. There are student opportunities to work on my current projects:

Enabling, Supporting, and Communicating Critical Zone Research — Network Hub of the US Critical Zone Collaborative Network. Sponsor: U.S. National Science Foundation.
Accelerating Critical Zone Science with an International Network of Networks. Sponsor: U.S. National Science Foundation.
Uncovering the Role of Stemflow in the Cycling of Water and Solutes in Coastal Forests Under Stress from Sea Level Rise (with work at the University of Delaware’s coastal critical zone observatory). Sponsor: U.S. National Science Foundation.
Land Use, Water Quality, and Aquatic Life: A Big Data Approach to Understanding Ecohydrological Interactions in Pennsylvania. Sponsor: U.S. National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Water Academy 2024: Empowering Interdisciplinary Scholars for Future Challenges. Sponsor: U.S. Geological Survey, Pennsylvania Water Resources Research Center.
Advancing Understanding of Surface Water Hydrochemistry through Cooperation in Critical Zone Science. Sponsor: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, August T. Larsson Research Program.

Advising: I enjoy working with students toward achieving their academic and professional goals. In my Lab group, student research projects typically involve some combination of field observations, eco-hydrological modeling, data synthesis, and/or stakeholder engagement. Undergraduate Students: I encourage students in the Department’s various undergraduate majors to participate in independent study courses or part-time jobs to gain research experience. Graduate Students: I advise graduate students in any of the Department’s disciplinary majors: Ecology, Forest Resources, Soil Science, and Wildlife and Fisheries Science. I also advise graduate students in interdisciplinary dual-title degree programs in Biogeochemistry, International Agriculture and Development, and Transdisciplinary Research on Environment and Society. Penn State’s Graduate School offers many resources and opportunities for students, and the graduate application process is described here.

Teaching: 2025-2026: Global Change and Ecosystems (FOR 201), Watershed Ecohydrology (FOR/SOILS 370), and Water Quality of the Critical Zone (FOR 597).

Service: I am committed to fostering interdisciplinary research and bridging the gap between scientific knowledge and policy, and I regularly provide science-based expertise. At Penn State: I currently serve on the University Graduate Council and the Faculty Senate Committee on Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity. I previously served as Director of the Pennsylvania Water Resources Research Center (one of 54 centers comprising the National Institutes of Water Resources) and as Assistant Director of Penn State Institute of Energy and the Environment (a university-wide hub for promoting research collaborations). Outside of the University: I also served a rotation at the National Science Foundation as a Program Director for the NSF Hydrologic Sciences and Geoinformatics Programs. I have served for >15 years on various science advisory committees for the US Environmental Protection Agency and currently serve on its chartered EPA Science Advisory Board. I also am an associate editor for the international journal Water Resources Research.

Honors: AAAS Elected Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science | Paul A. Witherspoon Award, American Geophysical Union, for innovative interdisciplinary research in the hydrologic sciences by a mid-career scientist | Alex & Jesse Black Award for excellence in research, Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences

Penn State Interdisciplinary Affiliations: