Paul Hallett

Professor Paul Hallett is a Chair in Soil Physics at the School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, where he serves as Postgraduate Research Coordinator and Course Tutor for the MSc Soil Science program. His research focuses on plant-soil-microorganism interactions, soil degradation, sustainable agriculture, and critical zone observatories, spanning from fundamental biophysical processes to applied solutions for global food security.

• BSc in Agriculture (1992) from the University of Guelph
• PhD in Chemical Engineering (1996) from the University of Birmingham

His research explores how plant root traits engineer soil structure, the impact of soil physical conditions on microbial processes, pollutant transport, and resilience to environmental stresses. Recent projects include studying root-soil interactions in rice cultivation, soil carbon dynamics under tillage practices, and microplastic pollution in soils.

The 15 most recent publications highlight his work in soil physics, bioremediation, hydrology, and sustainable agricultural engineering. Key themes include root-soil interactions, soil carbon sequestration, bacterial transport modeling, and soil resilience under climate stressors.

Professor Hallett collaborates internationally with institutions such as Cornell University, CIMMYT, The James Hutton Institute, and Hawassa University. He has supervised numerous PhD students in multidisciplinary projects, securing grants from NERC, ESRC, BBSRC, and Newton Fund for initiatives like Natural Flood Management and Soil Microplastics research.