Education:

• Ph.D. 2001:-- Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO. Environmental Soil Quality/Chemistry. Dissertation Title: Phosphorus adsorption/desorption of water treatment residuals and biosolids co-application effects.
• M.S. 1992:-- Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO. Soil Chemistry/Fertility. Thesis Title: Determination of salinity threshold levels for selected grass and legume forage species.
• B.S. 1989:-- University of Delaware, Newark, DE. Plant Science - Agronomy. Minor: Microbiology.

Experience:

• 2007-present: Research Soil Scientist/Soil Chemist, USDA-ARS, Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research Laboratory, Kimberly, ID.
• 2002-2007: Assistant Professor, Environmental Soil Quality/Chemistry, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO.
• 1991-2002: Research Associate, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO.

Professional Societies and Activities:

• American Society of Agronomy
• Soil Science Society of America

• Division A5 Representative to the American Society of Agronomy Board of Directors, 2011-2013.
• Guest Associate Editor, Journal of Environmental Quality, 2010-2011.
• Division A5 Chair, Young Scientist Award Committee, 2010.
• Soil Science Applied Research Award Committee, 2009-2010, Soil Science Society of America.
• Division A5 chair -- Environmental Quality, 2009, American Society of Agronomy. 
• Division A5 chair elect -- Environmental Quality, 2008, American Society of Agronomy.
• Graduate Student Research Poster Division A5 Symposium Contest Judge, 2009, American Society of Agronomy Meetings. Pittsburgh, PA.
• USDA-CSREES NRI Soil Processes Panelist, 2008. 
• Presiding Officer, A5 Oral Session, Effects of Manure and Biosolids on the Environment, 2007, American Society of Agronomy Meetings. New Orleans, LA.
• Undergraduate Research Poster Symposium Contest Judge, 2007, American Society of Agronomy Meetings. New Orleans, LA.
• Presiding Officer, S11 Oral Session, Phosphorus Availability and Mobility in Land Applied Wastes, 2006, American Society of Agronomy Meetings. Indianapolis, IN.
• Undergraduate Research Poster Symposium Contest Judge, 2006, American Society of Agronomy Meetings. Indianapolis, IN.
• Presiding Officer, A5 Oral Session, The Effects of Waste Constituents on Soil and Water, 2005 American Society of Agronomy Meetings. Salt Lake City, UT.
• Chair Soil Science Professional Service Award committee, November 2004 through November 2005. Soil Science Society of America.
• Soil Science Professional Service Award committee, November 2003 through November 2004. Soil Science Society of America.

Outstanding Achievements and Recognitions

• US EPA National Clean Water Act Recognition Award for Outstanding Biosolids Research, 2005.
• Rocky Mountain Water Environment Association State of Colorado Analytical Award of Merit, 2005.
• First place in the EPA 2003 Clean Water Act National Recognition Awards for Biosolids Exemplary Management for Operating Projects > 5 DMTD.
• Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies National Environmental Achievement Award in Research & Technology, 2000.
• US EPA Wastewater Management Research Excellence Award, First Place, 1999.
• Rocky Mountain Water Environment Association - State of Colorado Biosolids Management Merit award, 1998.

Research

Expertise and Scientific Interests

• Nitrogen and Phosphorus biogeochemical cycling.
• Soil trace and heavy metal mobility, transformations, and fate.
• Utilization of waste materials for beneficial reuse in agroecosystems, disturbed rangelands, mined land reclamation, burned areas.

Current Research Highlights

• Biochar effects on soil chemistry, fertility, microbiology, crop growth, and environmental quality.
• Biochar sorption of heavy metals: quantification and sorption mechanisms.
• The effect of dairy lagoon waste effluent on calcareous soil copper chemistry and crop growth. 
• Changes in soil nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon chemistry within irrigation systems.
• The effect of clinoptilolite (zeolite) on soil nitrogen dynamics, water holding capacity, and crop growth.
• Phosphorus sorption by alum-based water treatment residuals.

Publications

A fully-searchable listing of publications since 2008 is on our local repository.

 

 

Updated December 2012