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Texturing and analyzing soil in the field isn't all infiltrometers and digital sensors—you've got to get your hands dirty, too. Join us as University of Idaho graduate students MaryBeth Gavin and Paul Tietz discuss the exciting community of collegiate soil judging. Learn about the challenges in categorizing and documenting soils, even in difficult weather, and how those skills are supporting the next generation of scholars across a multitude of disciplines.

Sustainable irrigation starts with understanding how water moves through the entire system. Every interaction—from where it originates to where it’s taken off, stored, or lost—influences a crop’s ability to survive, especially in arid regions like Utah, USA and Punjab, India, where every drop matters. In this episode, PhD candidate Tejinder Singh joins us to discuss his research in soil hydraulics, evapotranspiration modeling, and sustainable irrigation.

Scientific advancements only matter if they reach the people and places they’re meant to benefit. That’s why Dr. Jake Mowrer and other Extension Professors in Texas A&M’s AgriLife program work to bring the university’s research on soil nutrients and water management directly to the Texas community who can use it. Join Jake as he discusses new insights on effectively implementing biochar, understanding phosphatase activity, and the vital role extension plays in bridging the gap between academic research and the real-world application.

The story of the energy transition is told in many languages: meter-scale satellite imagery, hyperlocal atmospheric data, ecological sustainability studies, infrastructure sustainability studies and more. Understanding the full story requires researchers to harmonize data collected across political lines and scientific disciplines at different scales, on varying platforms, and by organizations with varying assumptions and methodologies. In this episode, Dr. Michael Young talks about his approach to bringing all these elements together into collaborative systems that serve all stakeholders.

Kai-Julian Hendler is a geotechnical consulting engineer at Boley Geotechnik in Munich, Germany. He holds a master’s degree in Civil Engineering, with a specialization in geotechnical engineering from the University of Lisbon. Over the past 8 years working at Boley Geotechnik, he has been a site engineer on port construction projects in South Africa, Guinea, and Australia. In his current role, he focuses on the geotechnical challenges of infrastructure projects for railways, metros, and roads. Christoph Verschaffel-Drefke is a Geotechnical Engineering and Hydrology Coordinator for Transnet BW, a transmission systems operator in Germany. After getting his degree in Geoscience Engineering, he worked on several research projects based around the heat dissipation of underground cables. During his 6 years working at TransnetBW, he has overseen projects relating to thermal soil investigation, thermal dimensioning, bedding materials of cables, and heat emissions.

As a third-generation builder, Bryce Wuori has always been passionate about construction. To further this passion, he studied Construction Engineering at North Dakota State University and earned a Master of Project Management from the University of Mary. As the CEO and co-founder of Pavewise, Bryce believes that technology is key to the future success of the pavement and construction industry.

Lauren is a PhD candidate at Idaho State University focusing on plant physiological ecology. She received her bachelor’s and master’s in biological sciences from Cal Poly Pomona. She was a 2022, recipient of meters G.A. Harris Award. Her research has focused on long-term water storage in trees and its importance for whole tree water relations at both tree and ecosystem scales.

Dr. Matt Yost is an associate professor, associate department head, and agroclimate extension specialist at Utah State University. He obtained his PhD in applied Plant Science at the University of Minnesota, after which he spent several years doing post-doctoral research in Minnesota and Missouri. His research and extension efforts focus on water optimization in agriculture, soil health, precision agriculture, and adaptive nutrient management. Matt is also currently serving as director of USU crops and presiding Chair of the agronomic production systems section of the American Society of Agronomy.

Alex received his bachelors in Mathematics & Astrophysics from Oberlin College in 2018. He is currently a Hydrologic Science PhD candidate in the University of Wyoming Plant Physiological Ecology Laboratory. Alex’s research focuses on modeling and measuring the relationship between ecosystem-scale processes and plant physiology, especially as they relate to land management and disturbance. Alex was a 2021 G.A. Harris Fellowship recipient.

Cecilia earned her bachelor’s degree in agronomic engineering from the University of Passo Fundo in Brazil. Cecilia was a recipient of the 2022 G.A. Harris Fellowship sponsored by METER Group. She is currently a PhD candidate in horticultural sciences at the University of Florida, where her focus is on grafted blueberry physiology and production. Her research centers on developing production systems that enhance climate resilience in blueberry crops to address critical global agricultural challenges.

Katie completed her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and Technology at Colorado Mesa University, where she focused her studies on water quality and conservation. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Environmental Science at Brigham Young University. After that, she hopes to work in the industry for a few years before continuing to her PhD.