Dr. Fernanda Santos

Fernanda Santos

R & D Associate

Fernanda Santos (she, hers) is an interdisciplinary staff scientist working in the Environmental Sciences Division at ORNL. Dr. Santos' has experience in soil science, biogeochemistry, and fire ecology, and currently conducts research that intersects ecosystem ecology and soil biogeochemistry. Her research focuses on the impacts of ecosystem disturbances (such as wildfires, insect outbreak, logging, etc.) on belowground processes. Specifically, Dr. Santos is interested in how disturbances and their interactions affect soil carbon cycling and dynamics with the ultimate goal of improving the way Earth System models represent the impact of disturbances on soil carbon dynamics in a changing world. She conducts empirical research in laboratory and in the field, and uses a suite of molecular and ecosystem-level methods to examine decomposition rates, biogeochemical transformations, mobilization, and transport of organic matter within the soil profile. 

 

To learn more about Fernanda's work and bio, visit her personal website at https://www.fsantosresearch.com/