Undergraduate degrees that train students for soil science careers at universities in the USA and its territories

Internationalization of soil physics from an American perspectiveUpon the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Soil Science Society of America in 2011, a session was held at its annual meeting to document how the field has changed over the years. I was asked to give the long-term perspective for soil physics. I surveyed soil-physics research published by the society over the past six years (2005-2011) and compared it with a review done in 1961 upon the twenty-fifth anniversary of the society. Of the 299 papers in my survey, 186 came from outside the USA (62% of the total). Twenty-nine countries were represented with the People's Republic of China having the most papers (27 papers). In the 1961 review, only five countries outside the USA were cited. My survey showed that 48 papers (16%) dealt with water, 35 (12%) with mechanical properties, 19 (6%) with aeration, 18 (6%) with solute transport, 14 (5%) with repellency, and 10 (3%) with temperature. Of the non-USA papers in the survey, 27% gave no source of funding and the other 73% usually cited funding by the government of the corresponding author. Of the USA papers, 47% cited no source of funding. The results showed that soil-physics research has become heavily international.

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Young Investigator Perspectives. Teaching and the postdoctoral experience: impact on transition to faculty positions

AJP Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology ◽

10.1152/ajpgi.00007.2014 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 306 (9) ◽

pp. G739-G740 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Jennifer Uno ◽

Kristen L. W. Walton

Keyword(s):

Career Paths ◽

Academic Skills ◽

Formal Training ◽

Science Careers ◽

Institutional Research ◽

Young Investigator ◽

Postdoctoral Training ◽

Faculty Positions ◽

The Usa ◽

Career Development Award

This editorial continues with our Young Investigator Perspectives series. Drs. Uno and Walton are young investigators who hold faculty positions. They completed a K12 postdoctoral program through the IRACDA (Institutional Research and Career Development Award) program sponsored through the NIGMS institute at NIH. IRACDA programs exist at multiple institutions in the USA to combine postdoctoral training with formal training in academic skills and teaching at partner institutions. I thank Drs. Walton and Uno for a thoughtful perspective on how this experience shaped their career goals to combine teaching and research and inspire undergraduates to science careers. Given the current national dialog on broadening career paths and outcomes for PhD scientists, this is a timely perspective. — P. Kay Lund

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