U.S. National Committee for Soil Sciences (USNC/SS)

Webinar

Soils Speak: Communicating Science through Storytelling, Artificial Intelligence, and Modern Visualization with the U.S. National Committee for Soil Sciences

April 30, 2025

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM (ET)

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About

The U.S. National Committee for Soil Sciences will host a webinar on communicating soil science through story-telling, artificial intelligence, and modern visualization.

Storytelling can significantly enhance the understanding of soil science by making complex concepts more accessible, relatable, and engaging to a wider audience. By humanizing scientific concepts and framing them within narratives, abstract ideas become more tangible and memorable. Stories can provide historical context, illustrating how our understanding of soil has evolved over time and highlighting its importance in human civilization and cultural development. This approach can effectively demonstrate the interconnectedness of soil science with other disciplines such as archaeology, ecology, and agriculture, helping people appreciate the far-reaching impacts of soil health. Incorporating various storytelling mediums like literature, art, and digital media can make soil science accessible to people with different learning preferences and backgrounds.

Stories have the power to evoke emotions, leading to a deeper connection with the subject matter and potentially inspiring action towards soil preservation and conservation. By including cultural perspectives, storytelling can highlight the global importance of soil and foster cross-cultural understanding and collaboration in soil science. Storytelling can transform complex scientific data into more understandable narratives, making soil science more approachable for non-experts and encouraging wider participation in soil-related discussions. Finally, stories can be used to illustrate potential future scenarios related to soil health, climate, and food security, helping people visualize the long-term impacts of our current and future soil management practices.

By reimagining how we visualize and narrate soil science, integrating traditional storytelling methods with cutting-edge visualization techniques, we can create a more engaging and scientifically robust field. This powerful fusion not only makes complex soil concepts more accessible but also honors varied perspectives. The approach enriches our understanding of the intricate relationships between humans and our diverse global soil resources, while making soil science more approachable to a wider audience. This innovative combination of traditional wisdom and modern technology offers a unique pathway to communicate the importance of soil science in a way that resonates across disciplines.

Featuring:

Dr. Beverly Alvarez Torres, Soil Science Ladies
Dr. Liz Carlisle, University of California, Santa Barbara
Dr. Sabine Grunwald, University of Florida
Professor Raj Khosla, Kansas State University
Dr. Matt Siebecker, Texas Tech University

Contact

Sophia Nordt

(202) 334-2798
snordt@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Symposium

Notes from the Underground: Scientific, Educational and Societal Importance of Soils with the U.S. National Committee for Soil Sciences

April 17 - 18, 2024

Past

Agenda

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About

The U.S. National Committee for Soil Sciences (USNCSS) will convene in an open session on April 17th, from 11:00am to 5:00pm. In three panel sessions, beginning at 1:00pm, experts from a variety of backgrounds will provide their perspectives on the contributions that soil science, and healthy soil, has made to basic knowledge, education, and society. USNCSS members will also provide an overview of the International Union of Soil Sciences, its mission, and its relationship to the USNCSS. Register to attend the event here (virtual attendance only for audience members).

Contact

Noel Walters

(202) 334-2794
NWalters@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Webinar

State of the Soil: Perspectives in Soil Health Across the United States

April 22, 2022

11:00 AM - 12:45 PM (ET)

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Agenda

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About

The State of the Soil event celebrates the science of soil health and soil health management during a wide-ranging discussion with panelists who will talk about soil health aspects in their respective regions. This celebration of Earth Day 2022 will be moderated by Dr. Abbey Wick (North Dakota State University) and Tim Hammerich (Soil Sense podcast), with Dr. Wayne Honeycutt (Soil Health Institute) as the head guest. This event is hosted by the National Academy of Sciences' U.S. National Committee for Soil Science, USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service, and North Central Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education. Please join us for this virtual, interactive conversation on April 22, 2022 from 11-12:45 EDT. Register at www.ndsu.edu/soilhealth and connect to the event at www.hbconnects.com/stateofsoil.

Contact

Ester Sztein

(202) 334-3149
esztein@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Webinar

A Diverse Soil Science Future

December 4, 2020

2:00 PM - 5:00 PM (ET)

Past

Agenda

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About

The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine's U.S. National Committee for Soil Sciences, in collaboration with the Soil Science Society of America, will hold this virtual event on December 4, 2020 from 2-5 pm EST to celebrate World Soil Day 2020. This online meeting will focus on two deeply interrelated topics: the future of soil science and diversity and inclusion in the soil science community.
The first session is "Diversity and Inclusion in Soil Science," with a keynote by Asmeret Asefaw Berhe (University of California-Merced), presentations by a set of invited speakers, and a discussion led by Dr. Berhe. The second session is "Future of Soil Science," with a keynote by Eugene Kelly (Colorado State University), presentations by a set of invited speakers, and a discussion led by Dr. Kelly.

The event will include extensive discussion periods to involve speakers and participants in a thoughtful conversation on how to create a diverse future for soil science. The overall discussion will be led by Alfred Hartemink, Chair of the USNC/Soil Sciences.

Diversity and Inclusion in Soil Science panel:

Asmeret Asefaw Berhe (University of California, Merced, USNC past chair)- keynote presenter, discussion moderator
Samira Daroub (University of Florida, USNC member, SSSA Task Force member)
Robin López (University of California, Berkeley)
Chris Shepard (University of Kentucky)
Karen Vaughan (University of Wyoming)

Future of Soil Science panel:

Gene Kelly (Colorado State University, USNC member) - keynote presenter, discussion moderator
Justin Richardson (University of Massachussetts)
Abbey Wick (North Dakota State University, USNC member)
April Ulery (New Mexico State University)
Mengqiang (Mike) Zhu (University of Wyoming)

Joint Discussion of both Panels:
Alfred Hartemink (University of Wisconsin, Madison, USNC Chair)- discussion moderator
Final Summation: April Ulery- Incoming SSSA President

To watch a recording of this event, please visit: https://vimeo.com/489484098

We encourage all participants to complete our survey following the webinar here: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6068664/A-Diverse-Soil-Science-Future

Contact

Ester Sztein

(202) 334-3149
esztein@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Symposium

U.S. National Committee for Soils Special Session Symposium: Soil and National Security (held at Soil Science Society of America Meeting)

January 6 - 9, 2019

Past

About

Ronald Amundson, Asmeret Asefaw Berhe, Donald Sparks, and Ester Sztein have organized a special session on behalf of the USNC/Soils at the 2019 Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) International Soils Meeting. The USNC/Soils special session will explore how forms of social unrest impact food security and national security more broadly. It will be held at the 2019 SSSA Meeting, "Soils Across Latitudes," in San Diego, CA.

Contact

Ester Sztein

(202) 334-3149
esztein@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

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U.S. National Committee for Soil Sciences (USNC/SS)

Soils Speak: Communicating Science through Storytelling, Artificial Intelligence, and Modern Visualization with the U.S. National Committee for Soil Sciences

Notes from the Underground: Scientific, Educational and Societal Importance of Soils with the U.S. National Committee for Soil Sciences

State of the Soil: Perspectives in Soil Health Across the United States

A Diverse Soil Science Future

U.S. National Committee for Soils Special Session Symposium: Soil and National Security (held at Soil Science Society of America Meeting)

Soils: The Foundation of Life Workshop

About

Contact

Sophia Nordt

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About

Contact

Noel Walters

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About

Contact

Ester Sztein

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About

Contact

Ester Sztein

Disclaimer

About

Contact

Ester Sztein

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Materials

About

Contact

Ester Sztein

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My Academies

U.S. National Committee for Soil Sciences (USNC/SS)

Soils Speak: Communicating Science through Storytelling, Artificial Intelligence, and Modern Visualization with the U.S. National Committee for Soil Sciences

Notes from the Underground: Scientific, Educational and Societal Importance of Soils with the U.S. National Committee for Soil Sciences

State of the Soil: Perspectives in Soil Health Across the United States

A Diverse Soil Science Future

U.S. National Committee for Soils Special Session Symposium: Soil and National Security (held at Soil Science Society of America Meeting)

Soils: The Foundation of Life Workshop