Role: Director of the Soil, Water and Plant Testing Laboratory, CSU Fort Collins
How are you connected to Spur?
I will be supervising and managing all activities of the Soil, Water and Plant Testing Laboratory (SWPTL). The SWPTL will be a service lab that will provide soil, water, and plant testing (analytical services) to the ag community (farmers and ranchers) as well as homeowners, environmental consultants, nurserymen, landscape contractors, and golf course managers. The goal of the program is to provide high quality analytical services, science-based recommendations, and interpretations, to guide management decisions to optimize production and profitability while managing the soil and water resources in an environmentally conscious manner. It will also offer a new suite of cutting-edge analyses focused on soil health insights.
When did you get involved with Spur and why is it important to you?
I was hired as the new SWPTL director in September 2021. I was interested in the position due to the opportunity to engage a broad variety of audiences, from the traditional agricultural community (farmers and ranchers) to urban agriculturists and homeowners. The SWPTL will be a leading advocate of quality food and animal feedstock. With our expertise, quality service, and education, we will help our stakeholders create the best possible growing environment for food production by enhancing nutrient availability, microbial stimulation, and soil and plant health. Good quality water and healthy soils and plants are the foundation of healthy communities.
What outcomes have you seen or do you expect from work at Spur?
The Coloradans and out-state stakeholders will benefit from having easy access to a facility that serves not only as a source of lab analysis, but as a nucleus for education on plant and soil related problems and water quality. In partnership with faculty in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, the SWPTL will be the first commercially available laboratory offering a soil health test that provides standardized field-specific information on important constraints in soil biological and physical processes, in addition to standard nutrient analysis.
What would you like others to know about Spur?
The new CSU campus, Spur, enhances the impact and visibility of CSU’s research to preserve and enhance the vitality and productivity of Colorado agricultural resources through outreach and extension. Spur is a public destination for hands-on science experience.
