Erin Rooney, PhD Candidate​

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Research Interests:
Permafrost Soils: Increasing freeze-thaw cycle frequency in permafrost-affected soils and subsequent impacts on soil porosity, aggregate stability, nutrient distribution, and carbon storage. 

Agricultural Soils: Phosphorus transformations in dryland calcareous soils. Supporting farmers and other land managers by working within the restraints of the given environment and system.
 





​Manuscripts:
Rooney, E.C.,  V. L. Bailey, K. F. Patel, M. Dragila, A.K. Battu, A.C. Buchko, A.C. Gallo, J. Hatten, A.R. Possinger, O. Qafoku, L. Reno, M. SanClements, T. Varga, R. Lybrand. Soil pore network response to freeze-thaw cycles in permafrost aggregates. In Review with Geoderma, July 2021.

Lybrand, R.A., J.C. Austin, J. Fedenko, R.E. Gallery, E. Rooney, P. Schroeder, D.G. Zaharescu, O. Qafoku. 2019. The Nano-landscape of Weathering: A microscopy-spectroscopy approach to assess biota-rock interactions, Scientific Reports, Nature. 

Select Presentations:
Rooney, E.,  M. Dragila, V. Bailey, A. Buchko, A. Gallo, J. Hatten, O. Qafoku, L. Reno, M. SanClements, T. Varga, R. Lybrand. Impact of freeze-thaw cycles on soil porosity in permafrost soils. AGU, San Francisco, CA. Dec. 8, 2019. (Talk)

Rooney, E.,  M. Dragila, A. Gallo, J. Hatten, O. Qafoku, L. Reno, M. SanClements, T. Varga, R. Lybrand. Impact of freeze-thaw cycles on soil porosity in upland permafrost soils.  AG 830, Permafrost and Periglacial Environments, UNIS, Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Norway, 27 May, 2019. (Talk) 

Rooney, E., R. Lybrand, J. Hatten, A. Gallo, M. SanClements. Impact of freeze-thaw cycles on carbon stability in upland permafrost soils. In Abstracts, International Soils Meeting, Soil Science Society of America, San Diego, CA, 9 Jan., 2019. (Talk) 

Rooney, E., and J. Norton. Effects of cover crops on phosphorus availability and wheat biomass in calcareous soils. In Abstracts, ASA Land Management and Conservation, Soil Science Society of America-Crop Society of America-Agronomy Society of America Annual Meeting, Tampa, FL, 23 Oct., 2017. (Talk) Won 2nd place in the Graduate Student Competition. 

Rooney, E., and J. Norton. Effects of cover crops and compost on phosphorus availability and wheat biomass production in calcareous soils. Thesis Defense, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, 4 Aug., 2017. (Talk)  
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Honors and Awards: 
Oregon State University-Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Distinguished Graduate Research Program Fellow,  
Richland, Washington, 2019-current 

Co-advised by Dr. Vanessa Bailey in the Biological Sciences Department.
 
  • NSF OPP-Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, 2022-2024
  • OSU-PNNL Distinguished Graduate Research Program Fellowship
  • United State Permafrost Association AGU Travel Award, 2019
  • Arctic Institute of North America Grant-in-Aid Scholarship, 2019 
  • Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, EMSL Science THEME, 2018
  • OSU Learning Innovation Grant, 2019: Mobile AR Sandbox 
  • OSU Learning Innovation Grant, 2018: Interactive Landslide Model  
  • Department of Crop and Soil Science MAR Sandbox supporting funds 
  • CZO-SAVI International Scholarship, 2018 
  • Forest, Range, and Wildland Soil Division Luxmoore Travel Grant 
  • OSU Witters Fund Scholarship, 2018-2019 
  • Department of Crop and Soil Science Travel Grants, 2018-2019 
  • Oregon State University Graduate School Travel Grant 
  • Geological Society of America Graduate Research Grant, 2018 
  • Awarded Provost Distinguished Graduate Fellowship, 2017-2018  
  • ASA, CSSA, SSSA Future Leaders in Science Award, 2018 
  • Women in Science, Portland Scholarship 
  • College of Agriculture Beyond the Classroom Grant, 2015-2016 
  • Cheney Scholarship for International Travel, 2015-2016 
  •  2nd Place in Graduate Student Competition in ASA Land Management Session, ASA, CSSA, SSSA Meeting, 2017 ​
Background: I was born and raised in Fort Collins, CO. I'm a fan of polar landscapes and permafrost. I have studied permafrost in Alaska, Italy, Switzerland, and Svalbard. I have seen penguins (while studying soil and sheep ranching in Chilean Patagonia). I am still hoping to see a polar bear. 
 
Education:
PhD Soil Science (Oregon State University) Estimated Spring 2022
MS Soil Science (University of Wyoming) 2017
BFA Theatre Performance (University of Wyoming) 2013

Erin was awarded an NSF Office of Polar Programs Postdoctoral Research Fellowship! She will be continuing her research studying freeze-thaw in permafrost landscapes with Dr. Beth Herndon at University of Tennessee, Knoxville. ​
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