Alfred Hartemink

Alfred Hartemink is a Professor in the Department of Soil Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, specializing in pedology, digital soil morphometrics, and soil carbon research. He leads transformative work in soil profile analysis and global soil mapping initiatives, building on prior roles as senior researcher at ISRIC-World Soil Information and coordinator of the $18 million GlobalSoilMap project. His international fieldwork spans Tanzania, DR Congo, Indonesia, Kenya, Australia, and Papua New Guinea.

Hartemink's research integrates:

• Development of digital soil morphometrics methodology
• Soil mapping techniques for real-world problem-solving
• Carbon dynamics in diverse ecosystems
• Global soil science leadership through IUSS (Deputy Secretary General, 2002-2014)
• Soil science outreach and historical studies

His publications demonstrate strong focus on spectroscopic techniques (MIR, Vis-NIR, pXRF) and machine learning applications for predicting soil properties, carbon dynamics, and microbiome functions. Recent work emphasizes continental-scale modeling, urban soil degradation, and advancing pedological frameworks for sustainable agriculture.

Major honors include:

• Honorary Member, Dutch Society of Soil Science (2024)
• SSSA Presidential Award (2022)
• UW Madison Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor (2016)
• Fellow of SSSA (2016)
• Honorary Member, International Union of Soil Sciences (2020)

He teaches foundational courses including Pedology (SOIL SCI 327), Introduction to Soil Science (SOIL SCI 131), and leads the Wisconsin Soil Tour (SOIL SCI 527), mentoring through fieldwork and academic instruction.