Martin Locke Additional Information

 

Background Information

Currently serves as Director of the USDA-ARS National Sedimentation Laboratory (NSL), Oxford, Mississippi, USA, since March 1, 2016.  The NSL consists of two research units, Water Quality and Ecology (WQERU) and Watershed Physical Processes, with a total of 15 scientists.  The NSL research program emphasizes interdisciplinary studies dealing with physical, chemical, and biological processes related to natural resources in agricultural watersheds, and assessing strategies for sustaining and enhancing the integrity and function of agro-ecosystems.

Also serves as Research Leader for the WQERU (2003 - present), a component of the National Sedimentation Laboratory that consists of seven principal scientists and seven support scientists.  The WQERU mission is to conduct high priority research on water quality and ecological processes in agricultural watersheds, developing new technology to improve or restore water quality and ecosystem function in landscapes, streams, and reservoirs that are affected by agricultural activities.  As Research Leader, Dr. Locke is responsible for directing research to ensure that WQERU scientists are conducting a broad scale, high-impact research program that seeks to overcome obstacles to recommended watershed management strategies and meet regional and national needs.

Also serves as Research Leader for the USDA-ARS Delta Water Management Research Unit (DWMRU), Jonesboro, Arkansas, USA (June, 2017 to present).  The DWMRU consists of three principle scientists and one support scientist.  The DWMRU mission focuses on preserving the quality and availability of water resources used in agricultural environments, particularly in the small, rural farms that predominate the Lower Mississippi River Delta area.

Formerly Research Leader of the USDA-ARS Southern Weed Science Research Unit (SWSRU), Stoneville, Mississippi (1996-2003), consisting of ten principle scientists and two support scientists.  As Research Leader of SWSRU, he was responsible for administering and directing research to ensure that SWSRU scientists were obtaining basic and applied data to develop successful weed management strategies and meets the needs of the region and country.

He has authored or co-authored over 150 technical peer-reviewed publications and presented results at regional, national, and international meetings as author or co-author of over 200 abstracts.  Dr. Locke has national and international recognition as an authority on environmental aspects of conservation management, and has established himself as a substantial contributor and authority in the area of herbicide interactions in soil and water, as evidenced by his activities in several professional societies, including Weed Science Society of America (WSSA), International Weed Science Society (IWSS), and Soil Science Society of America (SSSA).  He has served as an associate editor for three journals: Soil Science Society of America Journal, Weed Science, and Pest Management Science (currently); is a Fellow in WSSA, SSSA, and American Society of Agronomy, has co-edited one book, and authored 6 review articles or book chapters.

Personal Research

 Dr. Locke’s personal research is a broad program assessing agrichemical and conservation management factors that relate to protecting and enhancing soil and water resources.  Specifically, objectives of his personal research are:

 Critically assess effects of management and conservation practices on biological, chemical, and physical parameters in soil and water;

1. Determine interactions among management effects and factors influencing degradation, sorption and movement, and microbial degradation pathways for agrochemicals such as pesticides and nutrients and develop new technology for improving soil and water resources;
2. Develop and improve management strategies for minimizing non-target agricultural contamination by agrochemicals in watershed systems and restoring impaired water bodies.

Dr. Locke is involved in the following projects:

• AGNPS
• CEAP - National Program
• CEAP - Beasley
• Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR)
• Lower Mississippi River Basin Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LMRB LTAR)
• Tailwater Recovery

Education

• 1976, B.S., Southwest Missouri State University; major, Marketing
• 1982, B.S., Southwest Missouri State University; major, General Agriculture
• 1984, M.S., University of Missouri; major, Agronomy
• 1987, Ph.D., Texas A & M University; major, Agronomy

 

Honors and Awards

• 1993 Mid-South Area Early Career Research Scientist of the Year
• 1997 Research Award by the Mississippi Weed Science Society
• 2004 Soil Science Society of America Journal Editors' Citation for Excellence in Manuscript Review
• 2006 Distinguished Service Award by the Mississippi Weed Science Society
• 2008 Fellow, Weed Science Society of America
• 2013 Honorable Mention in Scientific and Technological Achievement Award of paper entitled “Assessment of subsurface drainage management practices to reduce nitrogen loading using AnnAGNPS” by Yuan et al.
• 2014 Mid-South Area Research Leader of the Year
• 2014 Fellow, Soil Science Society of America
• 2015 Group “Champion Award” by the American Coal Ash Association for research on FGD gypsum
• 2015 Southeast Area Technology Transfer Award “By-Product Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate Dihydrate) Use in Agricultural Systems to Improve Soil Physical and/or Chemical Properties, Reduce Runoff Pollution and Improve Water Quality”
• 2017 Fellow, American Society of Agronomy

 

Publications

Dr. Locke's Google Scholar profile

Dr. Locke's ORCID Id

Dr. Locke's publications pdfs link