Meeting Soil Science Ladies around the world

Lorene Lynn

🌎 United States

🥼 Environmental Sciences Consulter

💼 Red Mountain Consulting.

👩‍🔬 Interested in restoration ecology, soils reclamation, and soils and vegetation of tundra areas.

🌸 "As long as you enter a room with a smile on your face and peace in your heart, everything will work out".

💻 Contact: lorene.lynn@rmcalaska.com

Cristina P. Contreras

🌎 Chile

🥼 Laboratory manager

💼 Soil Biophysics Laboratory, Universidad de Chile.

👩‍🔬 Interested in soil physics, soil chemistry and soil hydrodynamics.

🌸 "Women have a special perspective in terms of different abilities to work in the field as well in the lab."

💻 Contact: cmcontre@uc.cl

Lorna Dawson

🌎 Scotland

🥼 Head of Forensic Soil Science

💼 James Hutton Institute.

👩‍🔬 Interested in forensic soil science, roots dynamics and soil microbiology.

🌸 "Women can do any soil-related job if they put their minds to it".

💻 Contact: lorna.dawson@hutton.ac.uk

Virginia Aparicio

🌎 Argentina

🥼 Agricultural Engineer - Researcher

💼 Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA) and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientiificas y Tecnicas (CONICET).

👩‍🔬 Interested in soil chemistry, soil microbiology and precision agriculture.

🌸 "Study and apply current technologies without losing sight of the soil as a biodiverse and multifunctional resource.

💻 Contact: vaparicio73@gmail.com

Jane Lucas

🌎 United States

🥼 Community Ecologist

💼 Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies

👩‍🔬 Interested in soil carbon storage, soil microbiology, and nutrient cycling.

🌸 "Do networking, on farm and in the field experience, partnerships with government and private industry to understand the various needs of soil science".

💻 Contact:  Lucasj@caryinstitute.org 

Ileana Frasier

🌎 Argentina

🥼 Researcher Agronomist

💼 Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA) and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientiificas y Tecnicas (CONICET).

👩‍🔬 Interested in soil biogeochemistry, soil microbial structure and function, and root biology.

🌸 "Be encouraged to give voice to your ideas and always choose a healthy work environment that allows you to growth professionally".

💻 Contact: frasier.ileana@inta.gob.ar

Lynne Macdonald

🌎 Scotland

🥼 Principal Research Scientist

💼 CSIRO's Agriculture & Food Sustainability Program

👩‍🔬 Interested in soil carbon, microbial ecology and biochar.

🌸 "Understanding complex systems, diverse perspectives, and individual drivers is more important to achieving scientific creativity and impact than deep knowledge, data and publication alone".

💻 Contact: Lynne.macdonald@csiro.au

Jacynthe Dessureault-Rompré

🌎 Canada

🥼 Professor of Soil Conservation and Health

💼 Université Laval

👩‍🔬 Interested in soil conservation, vegetable crop systems, and carbon and nitrogen cycles.

🌸 "Be yourself and believe that you can succeed in this discipline. Be passionate and perseverant."

💻 Contact:

Martha Cary (Missy) Eppes

🌎 United States

🥼 Professor of Earth Sciences

💼 University of North Carolina

👩‍🔬 Interested in surface processes, rock fracture, and soil formation and weathering.

🌸 "Talk openly (and kindly) with men about issues facing women in sciences generally".

💻 Contact:

Christine Sprunger

🌎 Haiti

🥼 Associate Professor of Soil Health

💼 Michigan State University

👩‍🔬 Interested in soil health and ecosystems services, soil biology and climate change.

🌸 "Having excellent mentors (both men and women) has been key to my success".

💻 Contact: sprunge5@msu.edu

María Ortíz Escobar

🌎 Colombia

🥼 President of the Brazilian Society of Soil Sciences/ Associate Professor of Soil Sciences

💼 Universidade Federal do Ceará

👩‍🔬 Interested in soil chemistry, soil conditioners, and heavy metals and biosolids.

🌸 "I always speak to my students as I talk to my daughter, because I want the best for them. If they do well, I feel that in some way I contributed to that".

💻 Contact: mariaeugenia@ufc.br

Beth Hill

🌎 United States

🥼 Outreach and education manager

💼 North Dakota Forest Service

👩‍🔬 Interested in education, community engagement and forestry.

🌸 "It's so important to share your story! We best empower young girls to pursue soil science and other natural resources careers by being strong role models and showing them what cool work we do as women in soil sciences".

💻 Contact: beth.hill@ndsu.edu

Julie Grossman

🌎 United States

🥼 Professor of Horticultural Sciences

💼 University of Minnesota

👩‍🔬 Interested in organic agriculture, soil nutrient cycling and agroecology.

🌸 "Always ask for what you need to be successful in your career. Be brave!"

💻 Contact: jgross@umn.edu

Risely Ferraz-Almeida

🌎 Brazil

🥼 Professor in Soil Sciences

💼 Universidade do Estado da Bahia (UNEB) / Universidade de Sao Paulo

👩‍🔬 Interested in soil fertility, crop production and agronomy.

🌸 "Girls, you can do anything. Be yourself, passionate and perseverant."

💻 Contact:

Sara Acevedo

🌎 Chile

🥼 Associate Professor of Soil Sciences

💼 Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

👩‍🔬 Interested in soil biogeochemistry, soil physics, and soil data analysis.

🌸 "Choose mentors and laboratories wisely. Knowing the work environment beforehand can help women, and everyone, thrive. ⁠"

💻 Contact: seaceved@uc.cl

Vanaja Karkala

🌎 India

🥼 Assistant Professor of Soil Science

💼 Florida Gulf Coast University

👩‍🔬 Interested in soil salinity, soil fertility and nutrient management, and crop production.

🌸 "Women are great managers of their natural resources on this planet."

💻 Contact: vkankarla@fgcu.edu

Kirsten Kurtz

🌎 United States

🥼 Research Support Specialist and Laboratory Manager

💼 Cornell University

👩‍🔬 Interested in soil health, art and science, and soil painting.

🌸 "Believe in yourself and apply creativity to your work, specially if is not a creative field."

💻 Contact: ksk64@cornell.edu

Rebecca Tirado Corbalá

🌎 Puerto Rico

🥼 Research Soil Scientist

💼 University of Puerto Rico

👩‍🔬 Interested in soil and water conservation, soil compaction and agronomy.

🌸 "By nature, we are strong, perseverant, resilient, and nurturing. Find good mentors and colleagues. Network, and above all, believe in yourself."

💻 Contact: rebecca.tirado@upr.edu

Mabel Ifeoma Onwuka

🌎 Nigeria

🥼 Professor of Soil Science / Director of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture

💼 Michael Okpara University of Agriculture

👩‍🔬 Interested in soil chemistry, microbiology and biogeochemistry.

🌸 "Be a creative thinker, innovative, focus, strong, compassionate, patience, and computer literate."

💻 Contact:

Dulce Flores Rentería

🌎 Mexico

🥼 Researcher

💼 Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute

👩‍🔬 Interested in soil quality, soil carbon storage, and soil ecosystem services.

🌸 "Women have a unique relationship with nature, and their perspectives are vital in understanding and conserving our soils."

💻 Contact:

Alice Johannes

🌎 Switzertland

🥼 Senior researcher

💼 AGROSCOPE - Swiss federal agricultural research station

👩‍🔬 Interested in soil organic carbon, soil physics, and soil health/quality.

🌸 "I would have one general advice for researchers: I guess you have heard of that quote (translated from Paul Valéry) “If it’s simple, it’s wrong. If it’s not, it’s useless”… So my advice would be: go for simple and useful and just accept that there will always be someone who won’t be happy with that. And that’s ok."

💻 Contact:

Diana Vieira

🌎 Portugal

🥼 Research Officer

💼 European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC).

👩‍🔬 Interested in soil health, soil Geography, and environmental modelling.

🌸 "A mentor can help you navigate through you career development, and show you opportunities and potential obstacles you are not aware."

💻 Contact:

Carla Ferreira

🌎 Portugal

🥼 Researcher

💼 Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra

👩‍🔬 Interested in soil erosion and conservation, soil degradation, and ecosystem services.

🌸 "We may organize online scientific events (e.g. webinars) to discuss different topics within Soil Science, and we may share a contact list with information about our research topics to foment future collaborations."

💻 Contact:

Zahra Gerami

🌎 Iran

🥼 Researcher of Soil Conservation

💼 Soil Conservation and Watershed Management Research Institute

👩‍🔬 Interested in soil erosion, soil conservation, and soil physics.

🌸 "I believe networking, mentorship, and access to educational resources are key tools in empowering women in this field."

💻 Contact: gerami_z@scwmri.ac.ir

Carmen Ugarte

🌎 Bolivia

🥼 Professor of Soil Ecology

💼 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

👩‍🔬 Interested in soil management, organic agriculture, and soil ecosystem services.

🌸 "Work with mentors that enable your growth and build a network of peer scientists that you can rely on while in graduate school and beyond.  Also, make efforts to break the silos around your work—a research project or program is much more impactful when there is involvement from a wide variety of multi-disciplinary researchers."

💻 Contact: cugarte@illinois.edu