Kelsey Jensen
Climate Innovation Scientist
Work
Areas of expertise:
Soil carbon science, ecosystem ecology, terrestrial biogeochemistry, climate smart agriculture
Description
Kelsey works on EDF's Climate Innovation team within Science & Innovation, where she conducts research on emerging climate solutions and identifies opportunities for real-world impact. Her work ensures new ideas are scientifically valid and identifies where science can accelerate promising solutions. She works to unlock the full climate potential of new solutions, with a focus on expanding EDF's science in emerging carbon dioxide removal and new mitigation opportunities.
Background
Before joining EDF, Kelsey served as Chief Operating Officer of The Soil Inventory Project, a nonprofit focused on aggregating soil carbon data to build fundamental infrastructure for climate smart agriculture. In this role, she oversaw field research operations, managed large federal research grants, and oversaw partnerships with external partners across industries. She previously worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Skidmore College studying soil carbon monitoring and climate smart agriculture.
Kelsey's doctoral research examined how climate change affects soil carbon stabilization and nutrient cycling in arid ecosystems. Her previous research has spanned ecosystem ecology, forest conservation, and organometallic chemistry.
Kelsey received her PhD in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology from Cornell University with a concentration in soil biogeochemistry, and her BA in Chemistry and Environmental Studies from Colgate University.
Publications
Jensen, K.H., Grandy, A.S., Sparks, J.P. Elevated atmospheric CO2 drives decreases in stable soil organic carbon in arid ecosystems: Evidence from a physical fractionation and organic compound analysis. Global Change Biology, 2024. 30 (2). https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.17175.
Cardelús, C.L., Mekonnen, A.B., Jensen, K.H. et al. Edge effects and human disturbance influence soil physical and chemical properties in Sacred Church Forests in Ethiopia. Plant Soil (2020). DOI: 10.1007/s11104-020-04595-0
Anthony R. Chianese, Myles J. Drance, Kelsey H. Jensen, Samuel P. McCollom, Nevin Yusufova, Sarah E. Shaner, Dimitar Y. Shopov, and Jennifer A. Tendler. Acceptorless Alkane Dehydrogenation Catalyzed by Iridium CCC-Pincer Complexes.
Organometallics, 2014, 33 (2), pp 457–464. DOI: 10.1021/om4006577