Dr. Oelbermann earned a PhD in Soil Science from the University of Guelph and pursued postdoctoral studies at Cornell University. She is a Professor in the School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability at the University of Waterloo. Her research studies carbon and nitrogen transformations in complex agroecosystems, from sub-polar to tropical regions, focusing on the functions and processes governing these transformations in systems such as agroforestry and cereal-legume intercrops.

She investigates the effects of biochar and other organic amendments on soil health, greenhouse gas emissions, and the resilience of agroecosystems to climate change, and mentors graduate students in a laboratory that serves as a hub for international scholars. She is an Associate Editor for several journals, including the Journal of Environmental Management, Agroforestry Systems, and the Journal of Environmental Quality, and authored the book "Sustainable Agroecosystems in Climate Change Mitigation."