Overview
Ryan Emanuel is a hydrologist and community-engaged scholar from North Carolina. He studies ecohydrology, biogeosciences, environmental justice, and Indigenous rights. Emanuel leads a group of researchers and scholars who study water and watery places in North Carolina and beyond. His group also partners with Native American Tribes and other communities to understand environmental change through the lenses of environmental justice and Indigenous rights. Their work involves research, education, and relationship-building. Emanuel aims to amplify voices of Indigenous and other marginalized communities who shoulder disproportionate environmental burdens.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Associate Professor of Hydrology
·
2022 - Present
Environmental Sciences and Policy,
Nicholas School of the Environment
In the News
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Recent Publications
Spatiotemporal Dynamics and Drivers of Microbial Contaminants in Hurricane Florence Floodwaters
Journal Article ACS ES and T Water · May 9, 2025 To strengthen our understanding regarding the signatures and drivers of floodwater contamination, this study aimed to investigate spatiotemporal patterns of pathogens, fecal indicator bacteria, and fecal biomarker detections, and identify the watershed cha ... Full text Cite<i>Listeria tempestatis</i> sp. nov. and <i>Listeria rocourtiae</i> subsp. <i>hofi</i> subsp. nov.
Journal Article International journal of systematic and evolutionary microbiology · May 2025 In September 2018, Hurricane Florence resulted in major flooding in North Carolina, USA. Efforts to isolate Listeria monocytogenes and other Listeria spp. from Hurricane Florence floodwaters repeatedly yielded non-haemolytic Listeria-l ... Full text CiteInternal Water Movement and Residence Time Differ in Two Tree Species in a Temperate Deciduous Forest: Evidence From an In Situ D2 O Isotope Tracer Study
Journal Article
Ecohydrology
·
April 1, 2025
To facilitate better predictive capabilities of hydrological fluxes in forested ecosystems, quantifying internal tree water movement at the tree species level is necessary. We measured short-term (daily) and long-term (weekly–monthly) water transport using ...
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Recent Grants
Tribal Coastal Resilience Connections Phase II
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by NC Department of Environmental Quality · 2024 - 2025THELORACS: Tree Health Evaluated using LiDAR, Optical, and Radar Applications across Coastal Systems
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University of Virginia - Charlottesville · 2022 - 2025Collaborative Research: ER2 Incubation Project: A Pilot Study of Indigenous Perspectives on Ethical and Responsible Research
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2024 - 2025View All Grants
Education, Training & Certifications
University of Virginia ·
2007
Ph.D.