Derek Lynch

Derek Lynch is a Professor in the Department of Plant, Food, and Environmental Sciences at Dalhousie University's Faculty of Agriculture. He holds a B.Sc. (1989) and M.Sc. (1992) in Plant Science from McGill University and a Ph.D. (2002) in Land Resource Science from the University of Guelph. From 2005–2015, he was Canada Research Chair in Organic Agriculture.

His research focuses on agroecological approaches to agronomy and soil science, examining how farming systems influence productivity and ecosystem services. Key areas include soil health, soil carbon dynamics, organic agriculture, and nutrient management. He co-founded the Atlantic Soil Health Lab and is a founding member of the Centre for Sustainable Soil Management.

Lynch teaches undergraduate courses like Soil Science, Organic Field Crop Management, and Agroecology, and contributes to the Certificate in Sustainable Soil Management. He is cross-appointed to the Dalhousie College of Sustainability.

He serves on committees like the Canadian Society of Agronomy and CIRCASA, focusing on soil carbon research. His work emphasizes bridging science with policy, addressing climate change, biodiversity, and sustainable farming systems.

Notable awards include the Canada Research Chair designation. His recent articles explore soil carbon sequestration, farming system impacts, and soil biodiversity. He has authored over 70 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters, with a focus on organic agriculture's environmental and socio-economic dimensions.