J. Patrick Megonigal is a Senior Scientist and Deputy Director at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. He received B.S. and M.S. degrees from Old Dominion University, and a Ph.D. degree from Duke University. Dr. Megonigal is an expert in wetland ecosystems, particularly as they respond to global changes such as rising carbon dioxide, nitrogen pollution and sea level rise. His research is focused on plant-microbe interactions and biogeochemical cycling, particularly as it relates to carbon cycling, greenhouse gas emissions, and the vulnerability of tidal wetlands to sea level rise. He has authored over 90 peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Megonigal is Curator of the traveling exhibit "Dig It! The Secrets of Soils". He is a Fellow of the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA), the recipient of a SSSA Presidential Citation, the Smithsonian Institution Secretary’s Research Prize, the Renewable Natural Resources Foundation’s Outstanding Achievement Award, and the Soil and Water Conservation Society’s Merit Award.