Home > Partners

Partners: Contributing Organizations and Individuals

Cooperating Organizations:

University of Illinois
Iowa State University
USDA Agricultural Research Service, National Soil Tilth Laboratory
USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, National Soil Quality Team and National Soil Ecology Branch

Collaborators:

Dr. Susan Andrews, Team Leader, National Soil Quality Team, USDA NRCS, East National Technology Support Center, coordinates all aspects of project, with particular emphasis on adaptations of assessment tools and organization of educational materials. Is active in soil quality index research and development.

Dr. Michelle Wander, University of Illinois, helps coordinate the educational component, supply information from/access to the ISQI web page (a skeletal version of that proposed here), and prepare educational materials (PowerPoint slides, images) on organic matter, tillage, and rotation. Is the research leader of ISQI.

Dr. Holli Kuykendall, Ecologist, National Soil Quality Team, USDA NRCS, East National Technology Support Center, coordinates peer contributions and review, and maintains web site functionality.

Dr. Todd Nissen, University of Illinois, helps coordinate the educational component and help develop and adapt assessment techniques for soil quality and sustainability. Is coordinator for related educational video project. Is active in soil quality research.

Dr. Pete Boysen, Senior Systems Analyst, Iowa State University Computation Center, oversees Java programming performed by graduate research assistant that allow the web site to be interactive and user-specific. Is active in interactive, educational web site development.

Ms. Ann Lewandowski, Geographer and Education Specialist, NRCS Soil Quality Institute, contributed to topic-based work sessions, site design and the educational portion of the web site. Is active is designing professional development materials.

Dr. Cathy Seybold, Pedologist, NRCS Soil Quality Institute, contributed to topic-based work sessions and consults on content for the educational and tools sections of the web site. Is active is designing professional development and soil quality assessment materials.

Dr. Gerry Walter, University of Illinois Human and Community Development, helped coordinate the topic-based sessions to record input to direct and refine assessment strategies and coordinated the analysis of focus group results. Was the research leader of the ISQI dialog project.

Ms. Deborah Cavanaugh-Grant, ASAP, University of Illinois, Extension Specialist, Sustainable Agriculture, helped coordinate the first meeting in the Quad cities and will contribute to the educational portion of the web page. Has coordinated the ISQI dialog project and been the editor of the ISQI newsletter.

Ms. Ellen Phillips, Extension Educator, University of Illinois, contributes to the educational portion of the web page (video clips, use points, and PowerPoint material) and contributed to topic-based sessions related to crop production and soil quality card development. Is a major contributor to the ISQI web page.

Dr. Doug Karlen, Soil Scientist, ARS National Soil Tilth Lab, consults on assessment tool performance and contributed to topic-based work sessions on crop production and soil quality. Is a national leader in soil quality research and index development.

Dr. Craig Ditzler, Director, NRCS Soil Quality Institute, consults on web site content, suggested NRCS participants for work sessions, and provided computer equipment for web site development.

Mr. Mike Sucik, NRCS State Soil Scientist for Iowa, consults on web site content, contributed to topic-based work sessions, and identified NRCS field personnel to participate in the work sessions.

Students working with Drs. Andrews and Boysen:

Neeraj Khanolkar, Computer Science master's student, wrote programs for the tools portion of the web site using java and jsp programming languages.

Michael Larsen, Computer Science undergraduate student, contributed to database management, library research, and network management for the web site.

Sponsor:

United States Department of Agriculture - Sustainable Agriculture Education and Research - Professional Development Program (USDA SARE PDP)