G. Philip Robertson

G. Philip Robertson is a University Distinguished Professor at Michigan State University (MSU), affiliated with the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences within the College of Agriculture & Natural Resources. He leads research on agricultural sustainability, focusing on ecosystem services, nitrogen cycling, and greenhouse gas mitigation. His work integrates field crop systems, biogeochemistry, and climate science.

Education: B.A. from Hampshire College and PhD in Biology from Indiana University.

Research Interests: Dr. Robertson studies the sustainability of field crop ecosystems, including corn, soybean, and bioenergy crops like switchgrass. He investigates nitrogen availability and loss, soil carbon dynamics, and greenhouse gas fluxes (CO₂, N₂O, methane). His lab addresses climate change impacts on agroecosystems and strategies for reducing agricultural nitrogen pollution and carbon emissions.

Recent Trends in Publications: Recent work emphasizes the climate mitigation potential of bioenergy crops via albedo effects, soil carbon sequestration, and reducing nitrous oxide emissions. Studies also address farmer conservation practices, phosphorus management, and the scalability of sustainable agricultural practices.

Awards: Elected to the National Academy of Sciences for contributions to sustainable agriculture.

Grants & Collaborations: Leads long-term agroecosystem research at the Kellogg Biological Station (KBS), part of the USDA Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) network. Collaborates with interdisciplinary teams on climate policy, bioenergy systems, and ecosystem modeling.

Labs/Teams: Directs research at the Kellogg Biological Station, focusing on agroecology and global change studies. Engages with the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center and the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) program.