Professor Kelly Aho, currently an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Earth & Environmental Science and Integrative Biology at Michigan State University, specializes in aquatic biogeochemistry, particularly focusing on the cycling of carbon and nitrogen in inland waters. With a BA from Dartmouth College, along with an MESc and PhD from Yale University, Professor Aho has cultivated extensive expertise in her field. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) and has field experience working as a technician for the U.S. Forest Service in the Tongass National Forest, Alaska, as well as a sustainable agriculture volunteer in the Peace Corps in Panama.

Professor Aho's research focuses on the critical role inland waters play in global carbon and nitrogen cycles. These waters act as biogeochemical hotspots, connecting the land, ocean, and atmosphere. Her work examines how high rates of biogeochemical activity in freshwater ecosystems, combined with the influx of carbon and nitrogen from terrestrial sources, contribute to the production and emission of greenhouse gases. By analyzing these greenhouse gases, her research offers new insights into biogeochemical processes and their implications for climate change. Professor Aho's work not only enhances our understanding of how freshwater systems function but also provides key perspectives on how these ecosystems respond to and may influence global climate feedbacks.