Dr. Gregory Goldsmith

Dr. Goldsmith is an Associate Professor of Biological Sciences and the Associate Dean for Research and Development. He was previously the founding director of the Grand Challenges Initiative. Goldsmith’s research interests are focused on understanding the implications of climate change for plant structure and function, particularly as pertains to water and carbon cycling through forests. His research uses observational and experimental approaches from plant ecophysiology, ecohydrology, ecosystem ecology, stable isotope biogeochemistry, and satellite remote sensing. He has recently conducted research in Costa Rica, Panama, Mexico, Peru, and Switzerland.

Goldsmith is also deeply interested in evidence-based practices for equitable and inclusive formal and informal science education and engagement. He is a founding member of the Education Section of the American Geophysical Union and a former board member of the conservation education non-profit Ecology Project International. 

Goldsmith holds a Ph.D. in Integrative Biology from University of California Berkeley and a B.A. in Biology and Environmental Studies from Bowdoin College. He completed postdoctoral research in the Environmental Change Institute at University of Oxford and the Ecosystem Fluxes Group at the Paul Scherrer Institute (Switzerland). Goldsmith is an Explorer of the National Geographic Society and an Early Career Fellow of the Ecological Society of America.

Research Interests

Dr. Goldsmith’s research interests are focused on understanding the implications of climate change for plant structure and function, particularly as pertains to water and carbon cycling through forests. His research uses observational and experimental approaches from plant ecophysiology, ecohydrology community, and ecosystem ecology, as well as stable isotope biogeochemistry.

Keywords

climate change, ecohydrology, ecosystem ecology, plant ecophysiology, public engagement in science, science education, tropical forests

Recent Publications

Burt, E.I.^†, G.R. Goldsmith, R.M. Cruz-de Hoyos, A.J. Ccauhuana Quispe & A.J. West. 2023. The seasonal origins and ages of water provisioning streams and trees in a tropical montane cloud forest. Hydrology and Earth Systems Science 27: 4173-4186.

Valverdi, N.^†, C. Acosta*, G. Dauber*, G.R. Goldsmith, & E. Ávila-Lovera^†. 2023. A comparison of methods for excluding light from stems to evaluate stem photosynthesis. Applications in Plants Sciences 11:6 e11542.

Doughty, C.E., J. Keany, B.C. Wiebe, C. Rey-Sanchez, K.R. Carter, K.B. Middleby, A.W. Cheeseman, M.L. Goulden, H.R. da Rocha, S.D. Miller, Y. Malhi, S. Fauset, E. Gloor, M. Slot, I.M. Oliveras Menor, K.Y. Crous, G.R. Goldsmith, & J.B. Fisher. 2023. Tropical forests are approaching critical temperature thresholds. Nature 625: 105-111.

Valverdi, N.^†, P. Guzman-Delgado, C. Acosta*, G. Dauber*, K.B. Cooper, G.R. Goldsmith, & E. Ávila-Lovera^†. 2023. The relationship between green stem photosynthesis and hydraulic conductivity. Acta Horticulturae 1372: 129-136.

Siegwolf, R.T.W., M.M. Lehmann, R. Goldsmith, O. Churakova, C. Mirande-Ney, G. Timofeeva, R.B. Weigt, & M. Saurer. 2023. Revisiting the dual carbon and oxygen isotope model for understanding plant functional response to environment. Plant, Cell and Environment 46:9: 2606-2627.

Ellertson, K.B.L.*, G.R. Goldsmith, & Z.C. Berry^† 2023. Seeing light from a different angle: the effects of diffuse light on the function, structure and growth of tomato plants RURALS 15:1 (Art 2).

Wright, K.T., K.R. Johnson, G. Serrato Marks, D. McGee, T. Bhattacharya, G.R. Goldsmith, C.R. Tabor, J.-L., Lacaille-Muzquiz, G. Lum, & L. Beramendi-Orosco. 2023. Dynamic and thermodynamic influences on precipitation in Northeast Mexico on orbital to millennial timescales. Nature Communications 14: 2279

Felton, A.J. ^† & G.R. Goldsmith. 2023. Timing and magnitude of drought impacts on carbon uptake across a grassland biome. Global Change Biology 29: 2790-2803.

Ávila-Lovera, E. ^†, K. Winter & G.R. Goldsmith 2023. Tansley Review: Evidence for phylogenetic signal and correlated evolution in plant-water relations traits. New Phytologist 237:2 392-407.

Diao, H., P. Schuler, G.R. Goldsmith, R.T.W. Siegwolf, M. Saurer, & M.M. Lehman. 2022. On uncertainties in the plant water isotopic composition following extraction by cryogenic vacuum distillation. Hydrology and Earth Systems Science 26:5835-5847.

Harenčár, J., E. Ávila-Lovera^†, G.R. Goldsmith, G.F. Chen, & K.M. Kay. 2022. Flexible drought deciduousness in a neotropical understory herb. American Journal of Botany 109:8 1262-1272.

Goldsmith, G.R., S.T. Allen, S. Braun, R.T.W. Siegwolf, & J.W. Kirchner 2022. Climatic influences on summer use of winter precipitation by trees. Geophysical Research Letters. E2022GL098323.

Berry, Z.C. ^†, J. Larue, & G.R. Goldsmith. 2022. Quantifying and manipulating the angles of light in experimental measurements of plant gas exchange. Plant Cell and Environment 45:6 1954-1961.

Cooley, S.S., J.B. Fisher, & G.R. Goldsmith. 2022. Convergence in water use efficiency within plant functional types across contrasting climates. Nature Plants 8:341-345.

Andrini, H.J.*, S.L. Au Hoy*, A.M. Okhovat*, J. Lockman and G.R. Goldsmith. 2022. Functional seizures: the patient’s perspective of a diagnostic and treatment odyssey. Epilepsy and Behavior Reports 17: 100509.