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Joe Alfieri
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(515) 294-1146

 

 

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After receiving my BS in Imaging Science from the Rochester Institute of Technology, MA in Geography from the University of Colorado – Boulder, and PhD from Purdue University, I joined ARS in 2009. After serving as a research scientist at the Hydrology and Remote Sensing Laboratory (Beltsville, MD) for 15 years, I transitioned into the Research Leader position with the Soil, Water, and Air Resources research unit in 2024. My overarching research interest focuses on understanding land-atmosphere interactions, in particular the exchange of heat, moisture, and trace gases such as carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide, and their role in the larger earth system. A few examples of this work, which takes a multidisciplinary approach that combines field observations, remote sensing, and numerical modeling, range from understanding the factors controlling agrochemical emissions from croplands and determining the influence of changing landcover on carbon dynamics in grazing lands to developing modeling approaches to monitor water use from specialty crops such as vineyards. This research provides growers and other stakeholders with the information and tools needed to maximize agricultural productivity, ensure sustainability, and maintain water, soil, and air quality. Outside of the office, I enjoy cooking, travel, and photography.