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Dr. Yaqi You
Dr. Yaqi You Receives New Investigator Award
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – April 3, 2025 – Dr. Yaqi You at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF), has been honored with a New Investigator Award from the Joint Genome Institute at the Department of Energy. This award will support You's research on how biochar affects the soil environment to reduce greenhouse gases and improve the growth of bioenergy crops.
Biochar is a type of charcoal used to improve soil health. You's project will explore how biochar changes the soil environment, particularly focusing on the microbes that live in the soil and interact with plant roots. By studying the rhizosphere microbiome, You aims to find ways to boost bioenergy crop production while also reducing the negative impact humans have on the environment.
In collaboration with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, You will use advanced sequencing technologies, including PacBio sequencing, to investigate how biochar influences the production of greenhouse gases and the relationships between plants and microbes. This research could lead to more sustainable farming practices and help combat climate change.
"This new collaboration will allow us to apply multiomics to better understand microbial mechanisms behind biochar’s soil conditioner effects,” said You, assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Resources Engineering.
“This recognition highlights Dr. You's innovative research on biochar and its potential to advance sustainable agriculture and environmental protection,” said Dr. Lindi Quackenbush, interim vice president of research.
About SUNY ESF
The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) is dedicated to the study of the environment, developing renewable technologies, and building a sustainable and resilient future through design, policy, and management of the environment and natural resources. Members of the College community share a passion for protecting the health of the planet and a deep commitment to the rigorous application of science to improve the way humans interact with the world. The College offers academic programs ranging from the associate of applied science to the Doctor of Philosophy. ESF students live, study and do research on the main campus in Syracuse, N.Y., and on 25,000 acres of field stations in a variety of ecosystems across the state.