Chris Kucharik

Chris Kucharik is a Professor of Agronomy and Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. He holds affiliate appointments in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Agroecology, and Limnology and Marine Science. His interdisciplinary research bridges field studies and ecosystem modeling to analyze climate change impacts on agroecosystems, focusing on carbon-water-nutrient cycles, bioenergy sustainability, and climate regulation. Supported by NASA, NSF, USDA, and the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, his work spans the Midwest U.S. and global regions.

• PhD in Atmospheric Sciences (minor in Soil Science), University of Wisconsin–Madison
• Key Expertise: Agroecosystems, Agroclimatology, Soil Carbon Sequestration, Ecological Modeling
• Courses: Environmental Biophysics (Agronomy/Soils/AOS 532), Agroecosystems and Global Change (Agronomy/Agroecology/Environmental Studies 724)

His recent publications examine cover crop integration, nitrate dynamics, urban heat islands, and policy implications for agricultural sustainability. Current projects include modeling climate-vegetation interactions, evaluating bioenergy crops, and developing tools for groundwater quality management.

Scientific awards include:

• Badger Bioneer, Sustain Dane (2013)
• Principal Investigator, NSF Water Sustainability and Climate Project

Chris emphasizes systems thinking in teaching, highlighting cross-disciplinary impacts like meteorology-soil-water interactions in agriculture. He advocates case studies of human-nature resource conflicts and quantitative-qualitative synthesis for problem-solving.