Ryan E. Emanuel is a hydrologist and community-engaged scholar at Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment, where he is an associate professor of hydrology and co-chair of Duke’s program in Community Engagement and Environmental Justice. 

His research interests span the environmental sciences and extend into history, Indigenous studies, environmental justice, and research ethics. Emanuel and his research group have partnered with Tribal Nations, environmental organizations, and community groups to conduct research and science-based advocacy, and their work has influenced public policies and corporate actions related to environmental justice and tribal engagement. 

In addition to his 2024 book, On the Swamp: Fighting for Indigenous Environmental Justice, Emanuel has written or coauthored more than 70 peer-reviewed journal articles, and his research has been featured by National Geographic, NPR’s Science Friday, and other major media outlets.

Emanuel was formerly a professor and university faculty scholar at North Carolina State University, where he received the Alumni Association’s Distinguished Graduate Professor Award. He was a 2020-2021 Fellow at the National Humanities Center. Emanuel is the recipient of the Distinguished Service to Indian Education Award from the United Tribes of North Carolina, the Community Service Award from the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), and the Steve Wing International Environmental Justice Award from the North Carolina Environmental Justice Network. 

Emanuel served three-year terms on the US National Science Foundation’s Committee for Equal Opportunities in Science and Engineering and the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Science Advisory Board. He served for many years as an ex officio member of the North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs’ Environmental Justice Committee, and he currently serves on the Academic Advisory Council for AISES. 

Emanuel holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Environmental Sciences from the University of Virginia and a B.S. in Geology from Duke. He is an enrolled citizen of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.