Angelia Seyfferth is a Professor in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University (ASU), where she leads an interdisciplinary research program focused on soil biogeochemistry. She joined ASU in 2025 from the University of Delaware, where she developed an internationally recognized research program on metal and nutrient cycling in the soil-plant-human system and served as the founding Director of the Center for Food Systems and Sustainability and the Associate Dean for Research in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Seyfferth earned her B.S. degree in Environmental Science and Chemistry at Towson University, her Ph.D. in Soil and Water Sciences at the University of California-Riverside and was a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Environmental Earth System Sciences at Stanford University prior to starting her faculty position.
Seyfferth’s research focuses mainly on using tools and concepts rooted in soil biogeochemistry to develop sustainable ways to lower human exposure to harmful contaminants from food. She uses both laboratory and field experiments as well as conventional and advanced spectroscopic techniques to illuminate the dynamic chemistry of the rhizosphere and to understand localization of contaminants and nutrients in soils and plants. Her research also includes understanding mineral control on below-ground carbon cycling in coastal environments that are prone to sea level rise and storm surges. She has won several awards, including the 2022 Jackson Award in Soil Chemistry and Mineralogy given by the Soil Science Society of America and the 2022 Charles S. Falkenberg Union Award co-sponsored by the American Geophysical Union and the Earth Science Information Partners, an NSF CAREER award, and a faculty award of excellence in sustainability. She previously served as the Soil Chemistry Division Chair for the Soil Science Society of America.
Seyfferth is committed to fostering an inclusive and collaborative research environment where all participants are valued and supported. In line with ASU’s charter to advance research that is inclusive and use-inspired, she actively involves undergraduate researchers and emphasizes broad participation. Her work on reducing harmful metals in food exemplifies science in service to society, with clear implications for public health and policy.