Benjamin Z. Houlton

Benjamin Z. Houlton is the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and a Professor in the Departments of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Global Development. As dean, he oversees CALS’ strategic vision, including initiatives like The Roadmap to 2050 and The 2030 Project, which focus on interdisciplinary climate solutions. His research addresses global ecosystem processes, climate adaptation, and agricultural sustainability, with over 150 peer-reviewed publications in journals like Nature and Science. He co-founded The N3gative Company to advance soil-based carbon removal and leads the Working Lands Innovation Center, scaling carbon sequestration projects across 100+ acres.

Education: B.S. in Water Chemistry (UW-Stevens Point), M.S. in Environmental Engineering (Syracuse), Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (Princeton). Postdoctoral work at Stanford and UC Davis faculty roles preceded his Cornell appointment. Awards include the NSF-CAREER Award and Gene E. Likens Award.

Research focuses on nitrogen cycling, biogeochemical modeling, and climate mitigation strategies. Key projects involve enhanced rock weathering for CO2 removal, agricultural sustainability partnerships with farmers, and integrating Indigenous knowledge into environmental practices. Leadership roles include board memberships at the Boyce Thompson Institute and SUNY Research Foundation.

• Key Projects: 2030 Climate Initiative, Working Lands Innovation Center, OneClimate Big Idea (UC Davis).
• Grants: Oversaw $291.6M in CALS FY2024 research expenditures, led multi-million-dollar initiatives on carbon sequestration and sustainable agriculture.
• Labs/Teams: Houlton Research Group (focusing on global environmental studies), collaborations with UC Davis and SUNY systems.

Public engagement includes media appearances and science communication efforts to bridge research and policy. Personal interests include fly-fishing, coaching, and maintaining family ties to Midwestern agriculture.