James Thompson

James Thompson is a Professor of Soil Science at West Virginia University and serves as the Research and Development Coordinator at the National Soil Survey Center-Geospatial Research Unit. His academic career spans teaching, research, and coordination of geospatial soil initiatives.

Education:

• Bachelor of Science in Agronomy, The Pennsylvania State University
• Master of Arts in Geography, The Ohio State University
• Doctorate in Soil Science, University of Minnesota

Thompson's research focuses on digital soil mapping, pedometrics, and hydropedology, integrating geospatial technologies with soil science to address environmental challenges. His work explores soil genesis and classification, particularly in wetland ecosystems and spodic morphology.

His recent publications highlight innovations in machine learning for soil property mapping (2018) and species distribution modeling to analyze pedomemory (2018, 2015). He has also investigated spatial autocorrelation in soil-landform modeling (2016), emphasizing multi-scale approaches, and contributed to soil ecology through narrative-based studies (2015).

Thompson has co-authored textbooks such as Fundamental Soil Science (2006) and Math for Soil Scientists (2006), along with the SSC 200 Soil Science Laboratory Manual (2004). He has taught courses in soil judging, soil survey, pedology, and applied wetland ecology.

As part of the National Soil Survey Center-Geospatial Research Unit, Thompson collaborates on soil data integration, geospatial analysis, and land management strategies. His work bridges academic instruction with applied research, influencing both pedagogical practices and ecological restoration efforts.