Jean-Thomas Cornelis

Jean-Thomas Cornelis is an Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia, affiliated with the Faculty of Land and Food Systems and the Department of Applied Biology. His research focuses on biogeochemical cycling in terrestrial environments, particularly silicon dynamics in soil-plant systems.

• PhD in Soil Science (UCLouvain, 2010)
• MSc in Environmental Sciences and Technology (UCLouvain, 2006)
• BSc in Bio-engineering (UCLouvain, 2003)

His work integrates pedology, soil biogeochemistry, and microbial processes to address sustainable ecosystem management. Collaborations span functional ecology, plant physiology, and applied geochemistry. Key research themes include silicon cycling, soil-plant feedbacks, and stabilization of organic matter in croplands.

Recent studies highlight biochar's transient effects on soil microbes and silicon's role in ecosystem retrogression. His articles span topics from mineral dissolution in podzolic soils to tree species impacts on silicon uptake.

• WERNAERS-FNRS prize (Belgium) for scientific communication innovation

As head of the SoilRES3 Lab, he explores interdisciplinary solutions for soil resilience under natural and human-induced environmental changes.