Wetlands Researcher & Educator

Amr Keshta came to Maryland in 2013 as a visiting scholar to conduct research on the Northern coastal wetlands of Egypt through a research collaboration between Egypt and the United States. Using remote sensing platforms, he studied carbon and vegetation changes in these wetlands.

Amr Keshta also conducted research on the bio-geochemistry of tidal freshwater wetlands in the Chesapeake Bay, specifically focusing on how hydrology, soil conditions, and pore-water iron regulate carbon cycling in both natural and restored sites along the Patuxent River. His work highlights how these different factors influence carbon storage, which is critical for understanding wetland restoration success. His work has also provided insights into the restoration ecology of Chesapeake Bay tidal wetlands, which can be used to help further restoration of other wetland ecosystems around the globe.

Amr was accepted for doctoral study in the Department of Marine Estuarine Environmental Science. During his studies, he was awarded the Society of Wetland Scientists' Wetland Ambassador Graduate Research Fellowship to study the impact of sea level changes and grazing on the coastal saltmarshes of the Wadden Sea. Through this project, Amr collaborated with colleagues at Hamburg University in scanning soil cores from coastal wetlands. Currently, he is a lecturer in the Department of Environmental Science and Technology where he teaches wetland restoration.