Soil science was something I stumbled upon the summer between my sophomore and junior year of college. I began working for a government agency with an amazing group of scientists that had devoted their lives to exploring the universe below our feet. Up until this point I had noticed soil as "brown," which looking back astounds me. I had gone hiking with my parents as a young child, attended summer camp, been indoctrinated at a young age that saving paper = saving trees, so I had a well developed appreciation for the outside world. How I had never noticed that which lies beneath my feet still boggles my mind.
However, the real love affair began when I started graduate school. The excitement my professors had for soil science was something I had rarely experienced during my education. Every now and then I would find a teacher who inspired (obviously I found a few along the way otherwise science would not have been my preferred path in school), but to find a whole group of people that couldn't get enough of digging soil pits, discussing research, and getting their hands dirty was a whole new world for me. During this time I fell head over heels in love with SOIL. What I had viewed as just a "brown" surface became this dynamic, 3-D ecosystem full of chemical and physical processes, living organisms, and variable environmental conditions reflected in more colors than I ever could have imagined.
Through my education, I found that soil played a role in virtually every aspect our lives. From food and water to clothing and shelter, soil is connected to even the most basic parts of our lives and cannot be ignored. Despite its ubiquitous appearance, soil is not an unlimited resource and needs more people to "heart" it. With this blog I hope to shed some light on this complex world below your feet and frankly, my dear, to inspire you to give a damn...
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