Gough Lab

TThanks for visiting! Here, you will find information about our research in plant physiological and ecosystem ecology. We study how climate, disturbance, succession, and ecosystem structure affect leaf to ecosystem-scale processes, with a focus on forest and wetland carbon cycling. We are hiring undergraduate student research collaborators for the 2026 field season to conduct Department of Energy (DOE), National Science Foundation (NSF), and NASA supported research at VCU's Rice Rivers Center and the University of Michigan Biological Station. Please contact Chris.

What we do: National Science Foundation projects ask how forests respond to disturbance. NASA’s Student Airborne Research Program provides immersive training for undergraduates. NASA and DOE projects investigate mid-Atlantic wetland carbon cycling using ground, air, and satellite observations. A new project with the Nature Conservancy marshals research to improve nature based solutions.