iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe @aaberhe.com · 19h

Applications are now open for the UC President's Postdoc Fellowship Reach out if you want to submit an applicaiton focused on environmental/soil sciences, biogeochemistry, climate change, & related areas As a former fellow, this is a program I highly recommend 4 ECRs interested in academic careers

screenshot of the call for applications for the UC President's Postdoctoral Fellowship program

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Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe @aaberhe.com · 23/09/2026

✨New Account👇🏽, follow us✨ Last week, we announced establishment of the UC Merced Earth Institute on the storied foundations of the Sierra Nevada Research Institute & merger w/ the Climate Institute I am honored to lead this next great chapter of Earth & Environmental Sci & Eng research on our campus

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New Phytologist @newphyt.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

In #Profile: @aaberhe.com 👇 📖 nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... #LatestIssue #PlantScience

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Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe @aaberhe.com · 03/09/2026

A soil science Ig Nobel award for a study on what happens when u bury 1k pairs of underwear for 2months to determine biological activity in soil. A 25 nation citizen science study by Bender & van der Heijden from U Zurich #SoilScience #Biogeochemistry #Decomposition www.nature.com/articles/d41...

nature.com

Buried underpants and a new definition of kissing win 2026 Ig Nobel prizes

The awards highlight weird, funny and improbable research that also makes you think.

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Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe @aaberhe.com · 03/09/2026

You are always very kind my friend 😘. I’m so excited about this paper.

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Teamrat @teamrat.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

The model is also available as an interactive cloud application, allowing you to predict water retention for one soil or hundreds at a time. soil-habit.streamlit.app #Soil #SoilPhysics #SoilHabit #MachineLearning #PedotransferFunctions

soil-habit.streamlit.app

HABIT — Soil Water Retention

Interactive web app for (Hierarchical Attention-Based Inference with Transfer Learning), a pre-t...

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Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe @aaberhe.com · 03/09/2026

Further, HABIT shows organic carbon's influence on water retention peaking at intermediate water potentials, consistent with its dual role in aggregation and surface sorption. Soil scientists and biogeochemists, this one's worth a look.

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Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe @aaberhe.com · 03/09/2026

I might be biased a bit, but this is a really neat paper. An elegant quantitative evidence of how a given soil's water retention behavior emerges from texture & structure together, not from texture as a base that structure simply modifies. HABIT outperforms Rosetta for predicting water retention.

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Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe @aaberhe.com · 23/07/2026

Hong Wong today became the third woman to win a Fields Medal. She started out as an earth science major. Her geophysics prof affirmed importance of math to science for her, ex. for explaining how seismic waves are used to map Earth’s interior ... math related to the Kakeya problem.

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Simon Evans @drsimevans.carbonbrief.org · 02/07/2026

Did you know? Renewables have just overtaken coal as the world's largest source of electricity 34% – global renewable share, up 2x in 20yrs 48% – EU 37% – China 26% – US 24% – India

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Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe @aaberhe.com · 20/06/2026

So excited to see this published. Congratulations Yulissa. We miss you!

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yperezrojas.bsky.social @yperezrojas.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

Is using average soil moisture and temperature a "good" proxy for soil respiration? Not always. The relationship depends on depth, climate, and how strongly soil moisture and temperature are coupled with respiration processes. Excited to see my dissertation work getting published 🤗

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Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe @aaberhe.com · 17/06/2026

War's environmental damage rarely makes headlines, but it should. The damage to natural ecosystems is real and long lasting. I spoke with Newsweek about the often-overlooked ecological toll of conflict that has been a focus of my research for over 25 years. www.newsweek.com/ecological-t...

newsweek.com

The Silent Casualty of War: Conflict's Hidden Environmental Toll

Ecological damage from war can be vast and enduring, experts say, yet it continues—despite international legal protections.

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Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe @aaberhe.com · 15/06/2026

I'm one of the voices in a new documentary, Groundswell, about soil & the value of regenerative practices in maintaining & restoring soil health Groundswell is from the team behind Kiss the Ground & Common Ground. It's narrated by Demi Moore & Woody Harrelson (check out my favorite soil necklace 😊 )

the coverpage of the documentary Groundswell.

AA Berhe being interviewed in the documentary

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Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe @aaberhe.com · 14/06/2026

Joy is contagious! So happy for everyone in NYC … concrete jungle where dreams are made of. There's nothin' you can't do #Knicksin5 #history #NBAfinals

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Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe @aaberhe.com · 03/06/2026

Came work with me at the emerging UC Merced Earth Institute. We have two open positions for a: 1) Grant Writer aprecruit.ucmerced.edu/JPF02181 2) Communications and Outreach Coordinator aprecruit.ucmerced.edu/JPF02180 Please share with your networks, and reach out if u have questions I can answer.

image of the beginings statue at UC Merced.

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Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe @aaberhe.com · 29/05/2026

Interesting that two private universities in N. CA (Santa Clara Uni & Uni of the Pacific) have recently announced they are opening med schools. Meanwhile, Uni of California system and the State of California are still planning for the next medical school that is supposedly coming to UC Merced. 🤔🤔

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Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe @aaberhe.com · 05/05/2026

Thank you for incredible research contributions, and for educating and inpiring multiple generations of scholars Bob. Congratulations on your retirement. 💐

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Joe Mason @moreorloess.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

The moisture regime of buried soils can change through both climate change and erosional exposure. Latest from a project by a great team including @aaberhe.com, @emsaurios.bsky.social, @teamrat.bsky.social and many others. Glad to see my old friend the Brady Soil get so much well-deserved attention.

Joe Mason pointing to an exposure of the buried Brady Soil in a roadcut. There is a measuring tape hanging across the thick, dark Brady Soil A horizon and there are holes made by sampling in it.

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Teamrat @teamrat.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

Teneille Nel’s presenting at EGU results from the collaborative work of Manisha Dolui @moreorloess.bsky.social @emsaurios.bsky.social @aaberhe.com and many others. Here is the paper fresh off the press: soil.copernicus.org/articles/12/...

A person standing next to title slide of a presentation.

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Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe @aaberhe.com · 29/04/2026

Prof. Adriana Romero-Olivares, UC Riverside, was doing incredible work on how fungi and ecosystems respond to global change. A rising voice, a dynamic scientist and educator, a young mother, wife and daughter gone far too soon. A huge loss. Her family, students and community are in my thoughts.

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Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe @aaberhe.com · 29/04/2026

Prof. YangQuan Chen, UC Merced, was a dynamic colleague. I had the honor of collaborting with him & benefited from his generosity. He brought infectious curiosity to everything he touched, from fractional calculus to drones & beyond. A huge loss for his family, students, the field & our university.

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Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe @aaberhe.com · 29/04/2026

This has been a heavy week all around. I want to take a moment to remember two dynamic colleagues we suddently lost from our academic community in the last few days. They were both doing important work and meant a lot to their respective communities. May their souls rest in eternal peace.

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The Onion @theonion.com · 25/04/2026

Report: Every Place On Earth Has Wrong Amount Of Water theonion.com/report-every-place-on-…

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Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe @aaberhe.com · 23/04/2026

Yay👩🏽‍🔬🎤🧪🎉! Congratulations to @ucmerced.bsky.social graduate student Tahirah Williams, who took home the first-place Slammy trophy at University of California systemwide Grad Slam AND won the People’s Choice award! Go Bobcats! @ucmgraddiv.bsky.social @uofcalifornia.bsky.social #scicomm

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Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe @aaberhe.com · 09/04/2026

So wonderful to see the innovative design that includes composting toilet and preservation of pieces from the historic barn that was on the land before the UC Merced campus was built.

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Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe @aaberhe.com · 09/04/2026

Congraulations to my LES dept colleagues Jessica Blois & Jason Sexton (past & current Faculty Directors of UC Merced Natural Reserve System) and team on the official opening of the Field Education and Research Center at the Merced Vernal Pools & Grassland Reserve today ucnature.org/reserves/mer...

Department of LIfe and Environmental Sciences faculty at the the new UC Merced Field Research and Education Center, located in the The Merced Vernal Pools and Grassland Reserve

Opening celebration of the new UC Merced Field Research and Education Center, in the The Merced Vernal Pools and Grassland Reserve

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Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe @aaberhe.com · 27/03/2026

Thank you, Kate. Bummer. Hopefully another time. Likewise, I am so honored to be in the same group with you.

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Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe @aaberhe.com · 26/03/2026

Wait, I know a person in this list! 🎉 Truly honored to be included among such an incredible group.

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Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe @aaberhe.com · 26/03/2026

Yay! Congratulations @kateclancy.bsky.social and I’m also excited that this means, I finally might get to meet you in person at the Fellows Forum.

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Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe @aaberhe.com · 10/03/2026

No government, no regime, no budget cut, can ever take away what you learned. That's yours for always. That's the whole point. So, to every student feeling uncertain right now: stay in. Education is always the right choice. Build or lean on a supportive community to help you through tough times.

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Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe @aaberhe.com · 10/03/2026

I grew up during political turmoil and war. My community faced many challenges. What kept me going in school during all that was something my parents instilled in me from early on. Money can disappear. Fame & beauty fade. Politics changes. "Education is the only lasting wealth in the world".

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Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe @aaberhe.com · 10/03/2026

Of course, policy changes have real-life impacts on many levels. But none of that changes the value of what you learn. Don't let the noise of today pull you off your educational path. In my attempt to answer more questions, my answer to her was brief. But, I should've also said ...

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Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe @aaberhe.com · 10/03/2026

My answer: education is always the right choice. Always. I can't think of anything better than learning and building a career where you spend your life chasing unanswered questions. That never goes out of style, no matter who's in office. No matter how politics change, or budget priorities change.

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Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe @aaberhe.com · 10/03/2026

This past weekend, I had the honor of keynoting an event hosted by CSU Channel Islands, Oxnard College, & ACS CA Los Padres section. A student asked what I'd say 2 some1 excited about higher ed, but is horrified by today's political climate. It's an important question that deserves a serious answer.

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Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe @aaberhe.com · 17/02/2026

May your soul rest in eternal peace and power, Rev. Jesse Jackson. I had the honor of meeting him my first week in DC, as I started my DOE appointment. He couldn't have been kinder. That moment served as an incredible motivator as I began my journey in government. A giant, in every sense.

A pictures of Asmeret with the Rev Jesse Jackson

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Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe @aaberhe.com · 10/02/2026

Please help us spread the word about this great opportunity for a scholar with a strong publication, and funding record related to climate and environmental research; and excellent written communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills. aprecruit.ucmerced.edu/JPF02050

aprecruit.ucmerced.edu

Assistant Project Scientist

University of California, Merced is hiring. Apply now!

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Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe @aaberhe.com · 07/02/2026

I just returned from Dakar where I co-chaired the NASEM US-Africa Frontiers in Science, Engineering, & Medicine symposium tinyurl.com/ybdjn22m. It was an extraordinary gathering of leading scholars from across Africa & US discussing timely research. Truly one of the highlights of my career!

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New Phytologist @newphyt.bsky.social · 07/02/2026

#TansleyReview: #Soil organic matter dynamics under changing #precipitation regimes @aaberhe.com et al. 👇 📖 nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... #LatestIssue @teamrat.bsky.social

Fig. 2 Individual and interactive impacts of soil physicochemistry, microbes, fauna, and plants on soil organic matter (SOM) dynamics.

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Dr. Asmeret Asefaw Berhe @aaberhe.com · 01/02/2026

New paper on role of polyvalent cations in buried soil C stabilization led by my former lab group members Manisha and Teneille, working with the best collaborators.

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