Professor Joanna Bullard is a leading academic in Physical Geography at Loughborough University, specializing in aeolian processes, climate-landscape interactions, and dust dynamics. She holds adjunct roles at Griffith University, Australia, and has served in key leadership positions including Associate Dean (Teaching) and President of the International Society for Aeolian Research. Her work integrates field observations, remote sensing, and experimental methods to study dust emissions, microplastic transport, and environmental change in polar and arid regions. Bullard has received prestigious awards such as the EGU Ralph Alger Bagnold Medal (2021) and the Philip Leverhulme Prize (2004). Education: PhD from University of Sheffield Her research focuses on Arctic ecosystems, high-latitude dust pathways, and the geomorphic impacts of climate change. Recent work explores microplastic degradation via wind abrasion and the biogeochemical role of dust in Greenland’s lakes. Bullard’s teaching innovations include augmented reality tools for geomorphology education and crowd-sourced meteorological data projects. Awards: EGU Bagnold Medal, British Society for Geomorphology Fellowship, HEA Principal Fellowship Publications emphasize dust-climate feedbacks, aeolian sediment dynamics, and interdisciplinary methodologies. She leads international collaborations on dust cycle modeling and Arctic environmental monitoring.
Dr. Philipp Porada is a Junior Professor of Ecological Modeling at the University of Hamburg, affiliated with the Department of Biology within the Faculty of Mathematics, Computer Science and Natural Sciences. He works at the Institute of Plant Sciences and Microbiology, specifically in the Applied Plant Ecology group, based at the Otto Warburg House. His research integrates process-based modeling with ecological field studies to investigate non-vascular vegetation, biogeochemical cycles, and climate-vegetation interactions across multiple temporal and spatial scales. Porada's research focuses primarily on non-vascular vegetation (bryophytes, lichens, and biocrusts), examining their role in global biogeochemical cycles, biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationships, and paleoclimate dynamics. His work spans from contemporary ecosystem processes to geological time scales, with particular emphasis on the impacts of climate change on non-vascular communities. He has developed several process-based models including LiBry for lichen and bryophyte communities, LiDELS for soil-vegetation interactions, and LYCOm for early vascular plants. His research demonstrates how non-vascular vegetation influences carbon sequestration, water cycling, and soil processes across diverse ecosystems from urban forests to polar regions. Analysis of Porada's publication record reveals a strong interdisciplinary approach combining ecological theory, biogeochemistry, and computational modeling. His work spans multiple ecosystems including peatlands, drylands, urban forests, and coastal blue carbon systems. A consistent theme across his research is understanding how non-vascular vegetation mediates the relationship between environmental conditions and ecosystem functions. His most recent work increasingly focuses on climate change impacts and potential mitigation strategies through vegetation management. Porada leads two major research projects funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG): 'Effects of nutrient limitation on non-vascular vegetation under climate change' and 'The role of early plants for palaeoclimate dynamics'. These projects reflect his dual interest in contemporary environmental challenges and deep-time ecological processes. His collaborative work, evident in his extensive publication record with international researchers, demonstrates strong interdisciplinary connections across ecology, biogeochemistry, and climate science. Dr. Porada maintains an active research laboratory focused on ecological modeling, with particular expertise in non-vascular vegetation dynamics. His team develops and applies process-based models to address questions ranging from micro-scale lichen water relations to global biogeochemical cycles. The research group collaborates extensively with field ecologists, climate scientists, and biogeochemists to ground-truth model predictions and explore new ecological phenomena.
Ferran Garcia-Pichel is a Regents Professor and Center Director at Arizona State University’s School of Life Sciences, affiliated with the Biodesign Center for Fundamental & Applied Microbiomics, Center for Biodiversity Outcomes, Water Institute, and Global Drylands Center. He holds a PhD in Microbiology from the University of Oregon (1999) and has been a faculty member at ASU since 1999. His research focuses on microbial adaptations in arid environments, including biogeochemical cycling, soil crust formation, and sustainable land restoration. Key interests include cyanobacterial sunscreen compounds (scytonemin), carbonate dissolution mechanisms, and hydrogen production. Teaching responsibilities include advanced microbiology, microbial ecology, and geomicrobiology courses such as MBB 495 Undergraduate Research and BIO 493 Honors Thesis. Awards span from the 2021 Regents Professor distinction to the 2023 Sperry Award for restoration science. His lab explores interdisciplinary approaches to study microbial communities in desert soils, marine intertidals, and atmospheric dust, with applications in climate resilience and biomedicine. Research highlights include biocrust restoration strategies, microbial nitrogen fixation networks, and the role of GABA/Glu signaling in spatial organization. Collaborations address global challenges like fugitive dust mitigation and carbon sequestration. The lab is based at the Biodesign Building B on ASU’s Tempe campus.
Lara A. Souza is an Associate Professor and Associate Director of the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Oklahoma. Her research focuses on global change impacts on plant communities and ecosystem processes, including climatic change, biological invasions, and resource gradients. She investigates how biodiversity mediates ecosystem properties like productivity and carbon dynamics across spatial and temporal scales, working in temperate prairies, tropical savannas, and montane meadows. Education: PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (University of Tennessee), MS in Biology (Appalachian State University). Her work integrates field experiments, remote sensing, and data modeling to address global change challenges. She holds no explicit scientific awards listed here but has an extensive publication record. Research emphasizes functional diversity and ecosystem responses to global stressors. Recent studies explore fire exclusion effects, drought impacts, and warming interactions with plant communities. She collaborates on projects involving environmental DNA for endangered species detection and satellite-based ecosystem modeling. No advising or grant details are provided in the text. Lara’s lab focuses on climate-ecosystem interactions, with ongoing projects in Oklahoma and tropical regions. Her work highlights the need for adaptive management strategies in the face of climate shifts and invasive species pressures.
Joseph "Joey" Blankinship is an Associate Professor at the University of Arizona, affiliated with the Desert Agriculture Soil Health Initiative (DASHI) as its Director. Based in Room 529 of the Shantz Building, Tucson, Arizona, he focuses on soil health and ecology in arid environments. His teaching includes Soil Ecology (ENVS 300) and he can be contacted at 928-856-1206 or via email at jblankinship@arizona.edu. Education: PhD in Biology from Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff Dr. Blankinship's research spans multiple dimensions of soil science, emphasizing sustainability in arid and semi-arid regions. Key areas include: Soil biogeochemistry and organic matter dynamics Climate change impacts on arid ecosystems Innovative soil management practices for water and nutrient conservation Role of biochar and biocrusts in carbon sequestration Dust mitigation strategies for agricultural and ecological systems Ecological restoration techniques in degraded arid environments As Director of DASHI, he leads initiatives in desert agriculture and soil health research, covering disciplines like Critical Zone Science and Microbial Ecology. No scientific awards, students, or publications were listed in the provided information.
Dr Benz Kotzen is a Professor in the School of Design at the University of Greenwich, part of the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences. With over 25 years of experience as a chartered landscape architect, his work bridges academic research and practical consultancy in landscape design, environmental impact assessment, and restoration ecology. He specializes in arid land restoration, aquaponics systems, and urban ecosystem design. Dr Kotzen holds advanced qualifications including a PhD, Dip.LA, MAFA, and BAFA (Hons). His research emphasizes real-world problem-solving through innovative natural solutions, particularly in combining traditional and modern technologies. He leads the EU Aquaponics Hub and Desert Restoration Hub, and manages the Stockwell Street building’s pioneering green roofs exemplifying urban ecosystem services. His recent research trends focus on advancing aquaponics for sustainable food production, including applications in extraterrestrial environments like Mars, and exploring fire safety regulations for urban green infrastructure. He has also pioneered integrating aquaponics into university curricula through initiatives like Aqu@teach. His work frequently intersects with policy development, such as EU regulations for organic aquaponics. Dr Kotzen’s contributions extend to biophilic city design, emphasizing health benefits of urban green spaces, and climate-adaptive solutions for Mediterranean and arid regions. He has advised on numerous projects balancing ecological integrity with urban development, including innovative planting strategies in desert climates.
Matthew Bowker is a Professor in the School of Forestry at Northern Arizona University , within the College of Ecosystem Science and Society . His research is focused on biological soil crusts, dryland ecosystems, and ecological restoration. His primary research interests include biological soil crusts , dryland ecology , soil restoration , biogeochemistry , and land management in arid regions . His work investigates how biocrusts stabilize soils, cycle nutrients, and respond to disturbances such as climate change and herbicide use. The recent publications show a consistent focus on biocrust cultivation , restoration techniques , herbicide compatibility , and aeolian sediment dynamics . These studies span disciplines including ecology, environmental science, geomorphology, and soil microbiology, with field sites across global drylands. Matthew Bowker actively collaborates with researchers such as Antoninka , Barger , and Reed , contributing to large-scale, international studies on dryland ecosystems. He has co-authored works in high-impact journals including Nature Plants , Restoration Ecology , and Geomorphology . He has contributed to open datasets, including one on biocrust communities under novel climates, hosted on Mendeley Data. His research is widely read and cited, with a Scopus h-index of 13 and over 700 citations, indicating significant scholarly impact.
Dr. Sarah L. Strauss is an Associate Professor of Soil Microbiology at the University of Florida's Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC). She leads the Soil Microbiology Program, focusing on interactions between soil microbial communities and plant health in citrus and vegetable crops. Her work emphasizes sustainable agricultural practices, including cover crops and biological soil crusts to enhance soil health and crop productivity. Education: B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis, Ph.D. from Arizona State University. Research interests include nitrogen cycling, agroecosystem dynamics, and microbial contributions to soil fertility. She has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications on topics like biocrust nitrogen fixation, HLB-affected citrus root health, and cover crop impacts on soil microbiomes. Her recent studies investigate biological soil crusts' role in nutrient cycling, nitrification-denitrification linkages, and sustainable solutions for Florida citrus under HLB pressures. Collaborations include UF/IFAS Extension, where she translates research into practical guides for growers, such as the Florida Citrus Production Guide's root health management section. Labs/Teams: SWFREC Soil Microbiology Program, part of the Department of Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences. Active in field trials on cover crops, organic amendments, and microbiome-based solutions for agricultural challenges.
Anny Chung serves as Associate Professor of Plant Ecology in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Georgia's College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. She also holds a joint appointment as Associate Professor in the Department of Plant Biology within the Franklin College of Arts & Sciences and serves as Graduate Program Faculty in both departments. Dr. Chung directs the Chung Ecology Lab and holds the prestigious Haines Family Distinguished Professorship in Field Botany (Below Ground). Education: Ph.D. in Biology, University of New Mexico (2017) A.B. in Biology, Washington University in St. Louis (2011) Dr. Chung's research centers on how cross-trophic species interactions drive competition and coexistence in plant communities, with particular emphasis on plant-microbe interactions. Her work addresses fundamental ecological questions about species abundance, coexistence mechanisms, and range limitations. She combines field and greenhouse experiments, long-term datasets, statistical and computational modeling, and molecular techniques to investigate how microbial symbionts can shift paradigms in population and community ecology. Her research demonstrates that plant-microbe interactions alter plant competition dynamics, explain population commonness and rarity, and contribute to species turnover over decadal time scales. Analyzing her recent publications reveals a strong focus on plant-soil feedbacks, particularly examining their temporal and spatial dimensions, role in species coexistence, and responses to climate change. Her work spans multiple ecosystems including sagebrush steppe, Chihuahuan Desert grasslands, and North American plains, with increasing integration of large-scale datasets from the NEON network. A notable trend is the growing emphasis on climate change impacts on plant-microbe interactions and their implications for ecosystem resilience. Scientific Recognition: ESA Early Career Fellow (2022) Tansley Medal runner-up (2023) and short-listed (2022) Lily Teaching Fellowship (2022) Dr. Chung maintains an active research program supported by multiple funding sources including the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, and various scientific societies. Her current projects investigate experimental precipitation regime changes on soil microbial communities, impacts of fire regimes on soil microbiomes, and mechanisms of hemiparasitic plant interactions. She mentors students through the Chung Ecology Lab, which appears to have a collaborative and active research environment as evidenced by lab events documented on their website. The Chung Ecology Lab combines field and greenhouse experiments with molecular techniques to investigate plant-microbe interactions across various ecosystems. The lab appears to maintain an active research community with documented group activities including summer lab lunches, white elephant parties, and recreational outings like float trips, suggesting a collaborative and supportive research environment.
Josh Heitman is the William Neal Reynolds Professor & Alumni Distinguished Graduate Professor in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences at NC State University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. His research focuses on soil physics and hydrology, specifically heat and water transfer dynamics in soils, agricultural efficiency, and urban soil management. He leads the Heitman Environmental Soil Physics Laboratory, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches combining lab experiments, field studies, and numerical modeling. Education details are not explicitly listed, but his career at NC State involves both teaching and research. Research interests include soil water budgets, ecohydrological processes in drylands, and biocrust influences on soil properties. Recent publications highlight innovations in thermal conductivity-based soil analysis, compost applications for stormwater management, and biocrust dynamics. He actively participates in extension programs, contributing to agricultural best practices and environmental sustainability. His work bridges soil science with engineering solutions for urban and agricultural challenges, such as improving soil health and mitigating runoff in post-construction landscapes. Notable collaborations include research on bioenergy crops, soil microbial diversity under terraced agriculture, and pest ecology linked to soil conditions. The laboratory trains graduate students and postdocs, integrating field and lab methodologies to advance soil science applications.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityUnited States
Valerie Thomas, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation at Virginia Tech. She holds a B.S. from the University of Guelph (1996), M.S. and Ph.D. from Queen’s University, Canada (2001, 2006). Her research focuses on remote sensing technologies (lidar, hyperspectral sensors) to study forest structure, function, and global monitoring, emphasizing big data integration and environmental challenges. She teaches courses including FREC 1004 (Digital Planet), FREC 2124 (Forests, Society & Climate), and FREC 5154 (Hyperspectral Remote Sensing). She leads the Environmental Informatics undergraduate program and advises the Interdisciplinary Remote Sensing PhD Program. Her work includes advancing computational methods for large-scale remote sensing datasets and addressing ecosystem responses to climate change. She collaborates with the Center for Environmental Applications in Remote Sensing (CEARS) and contributes to projects on nitrogen retention, forest productivity, and lidar-based canopy analysis. Research Interests: Remote sensing of forest ecosystems Lidar and hyperspectral data integration Big data analytics for environmental science Forest carbon dynamics Landsat time-series analysis Teaching & Academic Leadership: Developed the Environmental Informatics major Advises interdisciplinary remote sensing programs Innovates geospatial education at Virginia Tech Labs & Teams: Active in the Center for Environmental Applications in Remote Sensing (CEARS), contributing to projects on forest monitoring and geospatial technologies.
Helmholtz Centre for Environmental ResearchGermany
Dr. Ulisses Nunes da Rocha is a Junior Group Leader at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) in Germany, specializing in Environmental Microbiology and Computational Biology . He holds a guest professorship at the Institute of Mathematics and Computer Sciences (ICMC), University of Sao Paulo , Brazil, since 2019. PhD in Microbial Ecology (2010), University of Groningen MSc in Agricultural Microbiology (2005), Federal University of Viçosa BSc in Life Sciences (2002), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro His research focuses on microbial community dynamics in diverse ecosystems, integrating machine learning and multi-omics data to model community function prediction. Key collaborations include institutions in Brazil, Portugal, and the Netherlands, with special emphasis on human microbiome dysbiosis and marine microbial interactions . His team has developed major resources like the TerrestrialMetagenomeDB and HumanMetagenomeDB databases. Recent publications highlight innovative approaches to bioindicator detection and metagenome-assembled genomes across multiple environmental contexts. The group integrates bioremediation , ecotoxicology , and microplastics research through international partnerships. Funding includes the Helmholtz Young Investigator Grant (€1.8M) and dual degree programs between UFZ and Brazilian universities.
Associate Professor Paul Dennis holds positions in the School of the Environment (primary affiliation), the Centre for Marine Science, and the School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability at The University of Queensland. He leads research on microbial responses to environmental change, emphasizing soil microbiology, climate impacts, and sustainable agriculture. His work integrates cutting-edge technologies to explore plant-microbe interactions, bioremediation, and biodiversity conservation. Education: BSc (Hons) from the University of Wales and PhD from University College London. He teaches ecology, microbiology, and climatology, advocating for evidence-based environmental practices. Research focuses on soil microbial diversity in agroecosystems, Antarctic biogeography, and dietary influences on respiratory health. Recent studies address pesticide effects on soil communities, biocrust ecology, and probiotic applications in livestock productivity. Available for research supervision in environmental science, microbiology, and related fields. Collaborates on projects linking microbial ecology to global challenges like climate change and sustainable farming.
Heather Throop is a Professor at Arizona State University with joint appointments in the School of Earth and Space Exploration and School of Life Sciences. She holds affiliations with the Center for Biodiversity Outcomes, Central Arizona-Phoenix Long Term Ecological Research, Water Institute, Global Drylands Center, and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. Her research focuses on ecosystem responses to global changes, particularly in arid and semi-arid environments, emphasizing biogeochemical processes, litter decomposition dynamics, and soil carbon cycling. Throop’s work integrates field studies, experimental manipulations, and advanced technologies like 3D photogrammetry to understand dryland ecosystem resilience. She explores how climate variability, land use changes, and biological interactions influence carbon and water dynamics in vulnerable ecosystems. Her interdisciplinary approach addresses critical challenges such as woody plant encroachment, soil degradation, and the role of biodiversity in maintaining ecosystem services. Her research has been supported by grants including the NSF CAREER award for studying soil carbon dynamics under long-term ecological changes. She actively contributes to global initiatives like the Dryland Litter Cycle Project and collaborates with international teams to advance understanding of dryland biogeochemistry. Throop’s teaching spans undergraduate and lifelong learning programs, emphasizing climate change literacy and hands-on environmental science education.
Anthony Darrouzet-Nardi is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). His primary research focuses on soil biogeochemistry, plant ecophysiology, and global change impacts on ecosystems, particularly in drylands and Arctic tundra. He leads the Darrouzet-Nardi Lab, which investigates belowground processes, biogeochemical cycles, and the role of biological soil crusts (biocrusts) in ecosystem resilience. Education: Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder (2010) B.A. in Integrative Biology, University of California Berkeley (2003) Research Interests: His work integrates field experiments, statistical modeling, and laboratory analyses to study carbon, nitrogen, and water dynamics. Key themes include the 'fungal loop' hypothesis in drylands, critical zone processes in carbonate soils, and the effects of global change drivers like climate warming and land use. He collaborates on large-scale projects like the NSF-funded Dryland Critical Zone network and the international CrustNet initiative. Awards & Funding: NSF grants totaling over $6 million for critical zone and biocrust research Recipient of the Certificate of Excellence in Reviewing (Biogeochemistry, 2017) Fellowships from NSF, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and the Beckman Scholars Program Advising & Grants: He mentors graduate and undergraduate students in ecology, biogeochemistry, and environmental science. Current lab members focus on topics like biocrust metabolomics and dryland carbon fluxes. His grants support interdisciplinary approaches to understanding Earth surface processes and sustainability challenges. Labs & Projects: The lab operates field sites in the Chihuahuan Desert and Arctic tundra, utilizing advanced instrumentation like CO2 flux chambers and isotopic tracers. Collaborations include the USGS, University of Toledo, and international biocrust researchers. The lab also emphasizes data sharing and open science through public portals and R package development (e.g., 'hotspots').
