Preface:This is the second S-1 Newsletter for the year 2007. The newsletter contains three sections: S-1 Member News and Announcements, Upcoming Meetings of Interest, and New Job Announcements. To have news and announcements included in future S-1 Newsletters, please send the text (either embedded in an e-mail message or as an attachment) to mtuller@cals.arizona.edu. Newsletters (current and past) and other S-1 information are posted on the S-1 Web Page: http://ag.arizona.edu/sssa-s1/.

1) S-1 MEMBER NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

A) Opportunity for Soil Physics Graduate and Post-doctoral Students to Attend the 2008 Kirkham Conference - Apply Now for a Travel and Expense Grant (Deadline: September 1, 2007)

Kirkham Conferences are meetings in which informal discussions encourage scientists to make seminal, in-depth explorations of disciplinary and interdisciplinary subjects of soil physics. Generally attended by less than 50 people, they provide timely development of newly emerging research ideas. The topic for the 2008 Kirkham Conference is Soil Physics – Research on the Frontiers of Earth’s Life Support Systems. The 2008 Kirkham Conference is being held on February 24-26, 2008 at the University of California, Davis USA. One of the primary goals of a Kirkham Conference is to inspire graduate students by providing opportunities for them to meet and discuss their ideas with leaders in soil physics in an informal setting. We seek applications from students with interest in description of areas of research related to the selected topic of the Conference. Additional details are available on the web at http://ag.arizona.edu/kirkham/. Hence, this announcement calls for graduate and post-doctoral students to apply for a Travel and Expense Grant to attend, participate and present a poster of their research at the 2008 Kirkham Conference. Persons having completed the B.S. degree and currently seeking the M.S. or Ph.D. degree with one or more years of formal research experience, or post-doctoral students, are encouraged to apply before the deadline of September 1, 2007. Grants shall be awarded to 10 persons with individuals being notified by October 1, 2007. Applications should adhere to the following format:

APPLICATION FOR A TRAVEL AND EXPENSE GRANT FOR THE 2008 KIRKHAM CONFERENCE

1. Full name, mailing address, phone, and e-mail address
2. Degrees received. Give major/minor, degrees, dates, institutions and major professor or advisor
3. Degree currently being sought or post-doctoral position presently held, major/minor, institution and
zz major professor or advisor
4. Brief synopsis of professional and personal achievements, and career goals
5. Title, objectives, methods and results and interpretation of proposed poster presentation of
zz applicant's research to be presented at the Kirkham Conference (not to exceed 2 pages)
6. A letter of recommendation not to exceed 2 pages from applicant's major professor or advisor
7. A letter of support not to exceed 2 pages from a person selected by the applicant

The deadline for receiving all application materials including letters of recommendation and support is September 1, 2007. Applications and letters should be emailed as a single complete document to the Kirkham Conference Chair at email address jwhopmans@ucdavis.edu.

C) SSSA Board Meeting, Madison, WI, May 3-4, 2007

Board Meeting:The SSSA Board met at the Headquarters building in Madison, WI on May
3-4, 2007.  The purpose of the meeting was to review progress toward implementing the SSSA strategic plan, particularly the task forces that have been appointed in the last year. There are some very significant changes that have occurred in terms of reorganizing the tri-societies. For the first time the SSSA board is a truly independent organization and can make the final decision on important matters such as dues, editorial policy, and the annual meeting. Decisions by the SSSA Board no longer have to go to the ASA Board for approval. The SSSA Board, ASA Board, and CSSA Board are now all co-equals and served by the Headquarters organization. Names are being discussed for what the Headquarters organization will be called, but it looks like the most likely name will be Alliance of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Science Societies (ACSESS).  Membership in SSSA was up slightly in 2006 to a total of 6,175 members.

Smithsonian Soils Exhibit:We are close to the funding required for this project, but still a little short.  The project will require $2.5 million (deadline is October 2007) and we have collected $2.2 million. The opening is scheduled for the summer of 2008. To fund a traveling exhibit, which would be developed from the stationary exhibit and start after that exhibit closes (in 3 years?), will require an additional $750,000. There are plans to develop an education outreach program in conjunction with the exhibit and this would require an additional $100,000. There's a news item about the Smithsonian exhibit on the SSSA website, "Soils: World Underfoot" that includes the latest floor plans and drawings.  If your haven't made a donation yet, please consider it! You can make a donation via the website (https://www.soils.org/smithsonian/).

Annual Meeting Task Force: This task force is chaired by Heather Dion. The task force has done a survey and developed a number of recommendations to increase the profile and attendance of our annual meetings. These include more high profile presentations and symposia, joint meetings with other societies, and more focus on soil practitioners. The meeting in New Orleans will include three special symposia including one on world hunger organized by Pedro Sanchez and another on hurricane Katrina organized by Henry Lin. On the Sunday before the meetings, SSSA will provide opportunities to participate in civic restoration projects in New Orleans (bring your work clothes!).

Education/Advocacy Task Force: This task force is chaired by John Havlin and its goal is to develop a strategy to better incorporate soil science in university curricula and increase the number of soil science faculty positions at universities. They plan to conduct a survey to collect data to show the trend in soil science curricula, faculty positions, and the job market for soil scientists. Then they will develop an advocacy action plan using the survey results as supporting evidence of trends.

Certification Task Force: This task force is chaired by John Zupancic and has the goal of helping soil scientists as they pursue state soil licensing and/or certification. Getting state licensing laws passed can be a very lengthy (and eventually unsuccessful) process. State-based certification is less controversial, but still allows states to develop regulations that require work by certified soil scientists. The task force is assisting Florida and Ohio as they pursue licensing by providing model legislation and rules.

K-12 Education Task Force: This task force is chaired by Dave Lindbo and their objective is to promote soil science in grades K-12. They have a website, https://www.soils.org/lessons/, where they are starting to place lessons and links.  They plan to develop a general interest soils book targeted for K-4 graders to go with the Smithsonian exhibit.

Methodology on Carbon Credit Trading Ad Hoc Committee: This committee is chaired by John Kimble and their objective is to develop a protocol for quantifying soil carbon credits.

David Radcliffe, S-1 Board Representative

2) UPCOMING MEETINGS OF INTEREST (arranged by meeting date)

A)  X-ray Computed Tomography of Soil - University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada,
August 19-22, 2007

As evidenced by the number and diversity of research projects reported in technical forums during the past decade, there is growing interest in the study of intact soil using X-ray computed tomography (CT). While the early work was focus on soil structure and hydraulic properties, there have also been attempts to apply this technique to other sub-disciplines in soil science. At the same time, considerable evolution has occurred in x-ray micro-CT scanners and computerized image data processing systems. A recent review of research, published during the past 5 to 10 years, involving X-ray CT scanning of soil, has revealed the need for a thorough discussion of the application of X-ray CT to soil. Of particular concern is the diversity of approaches to the acquisition and processing of CT imagery of soil.

Accordingly, a meeting, entitled “X-ray Computed Tomography of Soil”, will be hosted at the University of Guelph in Guelph, Canada during August 19-22 of 2007. This meeting has received the endorsement of Commission 1.1 of International Union of Soil Science, the Micromorphology Committee of the Soil Science Society of America, the Canadian Society of Soil Science, as well as the Brazilian Society for Soil Science. Preliminary contact has also been made with Elsevier (specifically Geoderma), with the intention of generating a publication dedicated to the research presented at this meeting, including the outcome of any discussions focused on standardizing methodology.

For further information please visit: http://gis.lrs.uoguelph.ca/soilct/viewtopic.php?t=3

B)  Unsaturated Zone Interest Group (UZIG) Meeting, Los Alamos, NM, August 27-30, 2007

The UZIG meeting is jointly organized by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The meeting will provide opportunity for interaction in an informal setting among scientists from a variety of institutions in addition to the USGS and LANL. For further information please visit: http://mn.water.usgs.gov/uzig/

C)   ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meetings, New Orleans, LA, Nov. 4-8, 2007

The International Annual Meetings of the American Society of Agronomy (ASA), Crop Science Society of America (CSSA), and Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) bring together 3,500+ people from 50+ countries representing academia, government and private industry, including a large contingent of undergraduate and graduate students. ASA's centennial celebratory spirit will be highlighted throughout the meetings with a dessert cruise and reflections on the history of ASA with special events, featured speakers, and historical displays.

For further information please visit: http://www.acsmeetings.org/

3) NEW JOB ANNOUNCEMENTS

To review all announcements from the last six months please visit: http://ag.arizona.edu/sssa-s1/jobs.htm

A) Postdoctoral Research Associate - Pore Space Characterization/Lattice Boltzmann Modeling (Posted: 7/24/2007).

The Soil & Environmental Physics Group at the University of Arizona invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Associate position. We seek highly motivated candidates with good mathematical, computational, and technical background. The successful applicant will apply advanced visualization and analysis techniques to characterize macroporous geological materials and perform Lattice Boltzmann simulations to determine flow and transport properties.

Duties and Responsibilities:
- Use advanced visualization techniques (X-Ray CT) in conjunction with Mathematical Morphology
x operations to quantify macropore space in geological materials.
- Develop and test new image segmentation techniques.
- Perform Lattice Boltzmann simulations to determine flow and transport properties of macroporous
x materials.
-  Participate in teaching Soil & Environmental Physics
-  Prepare research proposals and reports and publish papers in refereed international journals
 
Minimum Qualifications:
-  PhD in Geophysics, Environmental Engineering, Soil Physics, or related field
-  Programming skills in Matlab and C/C++
-  Solid computational and mathematical background

Preferred Qualifications:
-  Background in fluid dynamics
-  Ability to work with UNIX

For further information please contact Dr. Markus Tuller (208-559-8875 or mtuller@cals.arizona.edu).

B) PhD Research Assistantships - Geomorphology/Ecology/Hydrology (Posted: 7/17/2007)

Two assistantships are available at the U of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Appalachian Laboratory within the MEES PhD program for qualified students interested in either the interactions between aeolian transport, groundwater, and ecology in deserts; or (2) hydrological effects of land use change. For the 1st assistantship, research is expected to focus on sustainable groundwater management, and will include field measurement of vegetation and soil parameters, modeling, remote sensing, and soil chemistry analysis. For the 2nd assistantship, research would focus on quantifying flooding responses in mountainous watersheds in the US and Europe. A mathematical background with interdisciplinary training in geology, physics, and ecology is highly desirable for both positions. The positions include a stipend, tuition, and health insurance. For information, please contact Andrew Elmore at aelmore@al.umces.edu. UMCES is an AA/EEO employer.

C) MS and PhD Positions - Hydrogeology (Posted: 7/17/2007)

Applicants are invited for new M.S. and Ph.D. student opportunities in hydrogeology in the Department of Geological Sciences at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Our research is focused on flow and transport processes in sedimentary rocks. Ongoing and new projects include carbon sequestration, groundwater flow and contaminant transport through karst aquifers, transport of sediment through karst aquifers, the formation of sediment-hosted base metal mineral deposits, flow of hydrocarbons and water in viscous and visco-elastic porous media. We use a wide range of complementary analytical geochemical, numerical modeling, and field-based tools in our research, and have excellent resources for research on site and through collaborations with other institutions. Stipends for student positions are available through both research and teaching assistantships, depending on the project, and currently pay at least a nine-month academic year salary of between $15,000 and $17,000. Applications are being sought for positions beginning in both January and August, 2008. For more information, please contact Dr. Martin Appold (appoldm@missouri.edu; 1-573-882-0701) or Dr. Carol Wicks (wicksc@missouri.edu; 1-573-882-3231), or visit our department website at: http://geology.missouri.edu/

D) Assistant Professor - Environmental Water Science (Posted: 7/10/2007)

The University of Arkansas announces the opening for an Assistant Professor in Environmental Water Science. This is a 12-month, non-tenure-track position located on the main campus in Fayetteville with responsibilities in research (70%), teaching (20%), and service (10%). The incumbent will develop a nationally recognized, extramurally funded, interdisciplinary research program on the assessment of surface and ground water quality and remediation. Examples of such topics include, but are not limited to, the fate and transport of inorganic and organic compounds such as pesticides, agricultural waste products, antibiotics, ecoestrogens, and personal care products in surface and ground waters or the ecological response of land use change. The teaching component will include an undergraduate water quality course, development of a graduate-level course in the applicants area of expertise, recruitment of highly qualified students, and student advising. To qualify for this position, applicants must have a Ph.D. in an environmental, aquatic, or agricultural science with research experience in one or more of the following is required: toxicology, ecology, limnology, hydrology, stream processes or a related field. A strong understanding of biological and chemical processes in the environment is essential along with the ability to conduct team-oriented, collaborative research. The demonstrated ability to conduct and publish research findings and to secure extramural funding to support the program is essential. An ability to effectively teach and help develop undergraduate curricula in environmental soil and water science and crop water management and the departmental M.S. and Ph.D. programs is necessary. The ability to effectively communicate to professional, stakeholder and student audiences is required. To be considered for this position, applicants should submit a complete, hard-copy-only application consisting of i) a cover letter stating career goals, research interests and abilities, and teaching philosophy, ii) a current, detailed resume or CV, iii) a complete set of certified academic transcripts, and iv) the names and complete contact information of three (3) professional references to: Dr. Kristofor R. Brye, Search Committee Chair, c/o Ms. Gloria Fry, Division of Agriculture, University of Arkansas, Department of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences, Plant Science 115, Fayetteville, AR 72701; Telephone: 479-575-2347; Fax: 479-575-7465. Applications will be accepted until August 20, 2007, or until a suitable candidate is found.

E) MS Positions - Hydrometeorology (Posted: 7/10/2007)

The Department of Civil Engineering at the Boise State University (BSU) (http://coen.boisestate.edu/ce/home.asp) invites applicants for MS level graduate research assistant positions in the general area of Land Surface Hydrology. Our research focuses on studying various themes including terrestrial hydrology, soil moisture and climate change impacts in the mountain ecosystems and water and energy balance modeling using GIS and Remote Sensing techniques. Boise State University is a member of the state system of higher education and is the largest university in Idaho, with an enrollment of more than 18,000 students. The University is located in Idaho's capital city and largest metropolitan area, which serves as the government, business, and economic, health care, and cultural center of the state. For Detailed information, contact Dr. Venkataramana Sridhar, Department of Civil Engineering, MS 2075, Boise State University, 1910 University Drive, Boise, ID 83725-2075; email: vsridhar@boisestate.edu.

F) Computational/Theoretical Subsurface Flow & Transport Modeler (Posted: 7/3/2007)

The Los Alamos National Laboratory has an opening for a technical staff member position in subsurface flow and transport modeling. The technical staff member is expected to lead projects related to subsurface contaminant migration, oil and gas extraction, subsurface CO2 sequestration, and other heat and mass transport problems in a range of geologic settings; develop new theoretical and computational techniques and application of computational techniques in a team environment requiring integration with field and experimental researchers; Requires 5+ years' post-doctoral experience, proven skills in cutting-edge research in subsurface flow and transport modeling, record of successful proposal and funding development, strong team player approach, flexibility in application of knowledge and capabilities, and Ph.D. in Civil, Mechanical, Environmental, or Chemical Engineering, or in Geological Sciences. The technical staff member is also expected to take part in program development through proposals and interactions with sponsors, which requires a record of publication and the ability to obtain a Q clearance, which normally requires U.S. citizenship. To view a full description of these positions refer to www.lanl.gov referencing Job # 214244. To apply, send resumes to jobs@lanl.gov.

G) Staff Soil Scientist (Posted: 6/27/2007)

Desert Research Institute’s Division of Earth and Ecosystem Sciences is seeking an energetic individual to manage the activities of the Soil Characterization and Quaternary Pedology Laboratory, report analytical results, assist in the preparation of technical reports/publications, perform a variety of physical and chemical analyses on soil and sediment samples, maintain analytical equipment, develop/implement new laboratory methods, oversee the fiscal affairs of the lab, and supervise and train (under)graduate assistants. Candidates are expected to have a Bachelor’s in earth sciences, soil science, or hydrology; 2 years experience in lab operations and analysis; have knowledge of spreadsheets and/or databases; experience in field and lab characterization of soils and sediments along with supervising employees is desired. Submit resume, cover letter detailing how you meet DRI’s education and experience requirements, and contact information for three professional references to recruit@dri.edu. For full details visit http://jobs.dri.edu or call 775-673-7332. AA/EEO

H) Professor - Environmental Physics & Micrometeorology (Posted: 6/7/2007)

Colorado State University is seeking a highly experienced faculty member who is committed to superior teaching, research, and extension in Environmental Physics and Micrometeorology. The tenure track position is a 9-month faculty position in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences and involves teaching (20%), research (60%) and extension (20%), and is available 1 December 2007. The selected candidate will be expected to develop a strong, innovative, externally funded, interdisciplinary research-extension program. Requirements for the position include: 1) A Ph.D. in Soil Science or related discipline with emphasis on Micrometeorology, 2) professional experience and qualifications necessary to be appointed to the rank of Full Professor, 3) expertise in gas flux research with experience and interests in applications to confined animal feeding operations, 4) experience in collaborative interdisciplinary research and teaching, and strong record of extramural funding. Interested applicants can view a more detailed position description at www.colostate.edu/Depts/SoilCrop/deptinfo.html Send applications to: Dr. Gene Kelly, Search Committee Chair; Department of Soil and Crop Sciences; Colorado State University; Fort Collins, CO 80523. Please send a letter of application, curriculum vitae, statement of research and teaching interests, up to three representative reprints, university transcripts, and arrange for forwarding of three letters of recommendation to the Committee Chair. Applications should be submitted by August 1, 2007. CSU is an EO/AA employer.

I) Assistant/Associate Professor - Soil & Water (Posted: 6/6/2007)

Position 0001-4402 The University of Florida, Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC), invites applicants for a 12-month tenure-track appointment (70% teaching, 30% research), with tenure accruing in the Department of Soil and Water Science. The faculty member will develop and teach courses to support the Soil and Water Science Department’s distance education undergraduate (BS, Environmental Management) and graduate (MS, Environmental Science) programs. Other teaching duties will include student recruitment, chairing/serving on graduate committees, and publishing with graduate students. The faculty member will also develop an externally-funded research program related to his/her expertise and teaching program. Cooperative research is encouraged. A Ph.D. in a field related to soil, water, or environmental science is required. Applicants must submit: (1) a formal letter of application including a description of experience and qualifications; (2) a complete curriculum vitae, including publication and extra mural funding lists; (3) official transcripts; and (4) have three letters of reference (addressing the applicant’s qualifications) sent to Dr. Chris Wilson, Chair, Search and Screen Committee, University of Florida/IFAS-IRREC, 2199 South Rock Road, Fort Pierce, FL 34945-3138. For more information, visit www.irrec.ifas.ufl.edu, http://personnel.ifas.ufl.edu/pjobs.html, or email Dr. Wilson at pcwilson@ufl.edu. Review of application materials will begin on September 17, 2007, and will continue until a suitable candidate is identified. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

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