Christopher Baish

Christopher Baish serves as a Fixed Term Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences at Michigan State University. He simultaneously holds positions as a Graduate Research Assistant at MSU and an Adjunct Associate Researcher at the Desert Research Institute's Division of Earth and Ecosystem Sciences in Reno, Nevada. His academic career bridges physical geography, soil science, and Quaternary landscape evolution with practical applications in military geoscience and historical route analysis.

• Ph.D. in Geography, Michigan State University (in progress)
• M.S. in Geography, Michigan State University (2020)
• B.A. in Environmental Geography, University of Northern Iowa (2017)

Baish's research centers on pedology and soil geomorphology, with emphasis on landscape history and dynamics. His work investigates relationships between glacial/post-glacial sedimentological processes, soil development in diverse geomorphic settings, and soil-vegetation interactions. Current projects focus on argillic horizon degradation in Great Lakes forested soils, Quaternary climate change effects on landscape instability in New Mexico, and predictive modeling of subsoil properties in glaciated landscapes. He also studies glacial dynamics, podzolization processes, permafrost melt effects on loess distribution, and soil influences on historical European trade routes.

Analysis of Baish's publication record reveals consistent focus on soil-landscape relationships across diverse geographical contexts from the Great Lakes to New Mexico, Alaska, and international locations including Estonia and Lithuania. His methodological approach combines field observations with laboratory analyses and predictive modeling, addressing both theoretical questions in Quaternary landscape evolution and practical applications for military terrain assessment. Key recurring themes include soil formation processes, landscape response to climatic changes, and the application of soil science to solve real-world problems in vehicle mobility and historical geography.

• Peter Birkeland Soil Geomorphology Award from the Geological Society of America
• Advancing Pedology Award from the Soil Science Society of America

Baish works under the advisement of Dr. Randall J. Schaetzl at Michigan State University as he completes his doctoral studies. His research has received significant funding from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers through the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, supporting multiple projects on terrain analysis and predictive soil mapping for military applications. These grants have enabled fieldwork across diverse environments including northeastern Europe, the American Southwest, and Alaska, with particular focus on how soil properties affect vehicle mobility in challenging terrain conditions.

Baish collaborates extensively with researchers at the Desert Research Institute and participates in Michigan State University's Quaternary Landscapes Research Group. His interdisciplinary work involves geologists, soil scientists, and military geoscience specialists, particularly through the U.S. Army Cold Regions Test Center at Fort Greely, Alaska. Current team projects focus on developing landform-based predictive models for soil properties and assessing high-latitude environments as analogs for military operations in cold regions.