Andy VanLoocke

Dr. Andy VanLoocke is an Associate Professor in the Department of Agronomy at Iowa State University. His research focuses on agricultural meteorology, water use efficiency, and global change impacts on agroecosystems. He explores strategies to enhance nutrient management, precision agriculture, and sustainable bioenergy production while addressing water quality challenges in the US Corn Belt. His work integrates crop modeling, remote sensing, and interdisciplinary approaches to balance economic and environmental outcomes.

Research interests include crop water dynamics, greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural soils, and the environmental and economic impacts of bioenergy crops like Miscanthus and sorghum. He investigates how diversified cropping systems and climate-smart practices can mitigate nutrient losses while improving farm profitability. Projects emphasize farmer decision-support systems and the co-benefits of policies such as the Renewable Fuel Standard.

Key areas of exploration include soil carbon sequestration, nitrogen cycling in tile-drained landscapes, and the use of sap flow sensors to understand plant-water relationships. His work also addresses challenges in farmland diversification and the design of payment systems for ecosystem services in the Mississippi River Basin.

Contact: andyvanl@iastate.edu | Website