Celebrating Soil

Dr. Megan Balks has over 30 years of experience in soil-related study, research, and teaching. Meganis based in New Zealand (at the University of Waikato), and her experience includes 19 trips to studysoils in Antarctica as well as work throughout New Zealand. Megan has also traveled widely to studysoils having undertaken fi eldtrips in many parts of the world, including the Arctic (Russia, Norway,and Alaska), Australia, Thailand, Peru, China, Samoa, and Europe. Megan undertook her PhD studyingirrigation of effl uent onto land, and she has also worked on water irrigation schemes in Otago andeffl uent irrigation in Australia. She has supervised over 40 graduate thesis projects on the widestrange of soil-related studies from soil fertility in New Zealand hill country, through irrigation of citywastewater onto land and study of some of the most southerly soils on the planet in Antarctica. Meganisa fellow of the New Zealand Society of Soil Science (the fi rst woman to receive that honor). Withher husband Errol, Megan owns a small hill country sheep farm, which also includes about 60 acresof New Zealand native forest, and so she has hands-on experience in managing the land.
Professor Darlene Zabowski has a BS in forest ecology and an MS and PhD in soil science. Sheworked as a research soil scientist for the US Forest Service before transferring to the University ofWashington in 1993. She has conducted research on soils and taught introductory soils and advancedclasses in soil science for 30 years. She has received several awards for excellence in teaching. Darlenehas worked with many soils in various areas of the USA, as well as Canada, New Zealand, and China,and participated in fi eld trips in many other parts of the world. Her research has mostly focused onforest soilsbut has often included comparative research with soils from other ecosystems and a varietyof landscapes. Darlene is an avid hiker and enjoys keeping the soil in her vegetable garden healthy.