"Soil-mediated Drivers of Coupled Biogeochemical and Hydrological Processes Across Scales": 21-24 October, 2013
The USNC Soils is co-organizing an AGU Chapman Conference on “Soil-mediated Drivers of Coupled Biogeochemical and Hydrological Processes Across Scales.” This Chapman Conference will bring together scientists from soil systems sciences, hydrology, and biogeochemistry to discuss recent findings dealing with the role and importance of coupled hydrological and biogeochemical processes occurring in the soil system and its interfaces with adjacent compartments. This four-day conference will consist of oral sessions, a poster session, four open workshop spaces, and a wrap up session. To learn more about this conference, including a list of speakers and contributors, proposed topics, and other information, please visit the conference website. IUSS Global Soil Carbon Conference | June 3-6, 2013 | University of Wisconsin-Madison
 The IUSS Global Soil Carbon Conference will be held on June 3-6th, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The conference will focus on soil C in space and time, soil C properties and processes, soil C in relation to soil use and management, and the role of soil C in sustaining society and the environment. There will be long and short keynote presentations, and shorter contributed presentations. For more details, and instructions for abstract submission (deadline 1st February) please visit the conference website. 2013 AAAS Symposium - "U.S. Climate and Weather Extremes: Past, Present, and Future"
Sponsored by the four USNCs for the Earth Sciences and spearheaded by the U.S. National Committee for the International Union for Quaternary Research. This session provides both current and paleoclimatic perspectives on the nature of recent extreme climate and weather events and their societal and ecological impacts, with a focus on the United States. The symposium will be held February 15, 2013 at the AAAS meeting in Boston, Massachusetts. For more information about this meeting, including a list of speakers, please visit here.
 2012 Global Science Conference on Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA)
The 2012 Global Science Conference on Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) will be held at the University of California, Davis on March 20-22, 2013. The agenda builds on the Wageningen Agreement with an explicit focus on three main themes: farm and food systems, landscape and regional issues, and the integrative and transformative institutional and policy aspects that will bridge across scales and create the right environment for adoption of CSA practices. In each of these themes, the emphasis is on developing science and implementation to will provide adaptation strategies for food security along with climate change mitigation, wise energy use, and the provision of multiple ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes. For more information on the conference and the schedule of events, please visit here.
Soil Systems and Critical Zone Processes - Integrating Life Support Functions across Disciplines
Monte Veritá, Switzerland
April 14-18, 2013
This international conference will provide an international platform for science leaders from various scientific fields to delineate science questions and linkages between soil function and contemporary societal challenges, and establish a roadmap for transforming and integrating soil science into a key Earth science discipline. Paul Bertsch and Peter Groffman, USNC/Soil Sciences chair and member, respectively, are members of the organizing committee. For more information, visit the conference website.
20th World Congress of Soil Science, Jeju Island, Korea
 The 20th World Congress of Soil Science (WCSS) will be held in Korea at the Jeju International Convention Center from June 8-13, 2014. For more information, please visit http://www.20wcss.org/. 
Sánchez Elected as a member to NAS
BISO would like to congratulate USNC/Soils committee member Pedro Sánchez for being elected member of the National Academy of Sciences. Sánchez has been recognized for contributions to protecting and enhancing tropical agriculture and rural environments.
 Bertsch Elected as a National Associate of NAS and Chair of CSSP
BISO would like to congratulate Paul Bertsch, chair of USNC/Soils, for recently being elected as a national associate of the National Academy of Sciences and chair of the Council of Scientific Society Presidents (CSSP).
2012 AAAS Symposium - “Toward Stabilization of Net Global Carbon Dioxide Levels”
Sponsored by the four USNCs for the Earth Sciences and spearheaded by the U.S. National Committees for Soils and for Geodesy and Geophysics, this session provided a clear understanding and comparison of the attributes of the various sequestration strategies, including their capacity, economics, risks, application time-scales, and long-term stability. The symposium was held February 17, 2012 at the AAAS meeting in Vancouver, Canada. Speakers included: - Isabel Montañez (University of California): Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide and Climate Sensitivity in a Warmer World
- Sally Benson (Stanford University): Carbon Dioxide Sequestration in Deep Sedimentary Formations
- Peter Brewer (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute): Impacts of Stabilizing Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Levels: The Role of the Oceans
- Keith Paustian (Colorado State University): Carbon Sequestration and Greenhouse Gas Mitigation in Agriculture: Living Up to Potential?
- Karen Haugen-Kozyra (KHK Consulting Ltd.): Carbon Pricing Policies in North America: Past, Present, and Future
- Ben Yamagata (Coal Utilization Research Council): Managing Carbon Dioxide Emissions Today: An Industry Perspective
Organizer: Paul M. Bertsch, University of Kentucky
Co-Organizer: Ester Sztein, The National Academies
Discussants: James E. Hansen, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and Cesar Izaurralde, Joint Global Change Research Institute More details and press coverage... 2012 AAAS Symposium - “Causes and Effects of Relative Sea-Level Changes in the Northeast Pacific"
This session, spearheaded by the U.S. National Committee for Geodesy and Geophysics, first reviewed the various contributing factors to relative sea-level changes in the Northeast Pacific and then examined likely adaptations with an emphasis on shores in British Columbia. The symposium was held February 19, 2012 at the AAAS meeting in Vancouver, Canada. Speakers included: - John J. Clague (Simon Fraser University): Impacts of Rising Seas on the British Columbia Coast in the 21st Century
- Denise J. Reed (University of New Orleans): Surviving Sea-Level Rise: What Can Be Done To Maintain Viable Coastal Wetlands?
- David Flanders (University of British Columbia): Flood Adaptation Near Vancouver: A Regional Adaptation Collaborative
Organizer: Brian F. Atwater, U.S. Geological Survey
Co-organizers: C.K. Shum, Ohio State University and Ester Sztein, The National Academies
Moderator: Brian F. Atwater, U.S. Geological Survey
Discussant: Margaret Davidson, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coastal Services Center More details and press coverage...  Canadian Climate Scientist Elected as Next President of the International Council for Science
Professor Gordon McBean, an internationally recognized meteorologist and climate change expert, has been named as the future President of the International Council for Science (ICSU). An established member of the ICSU community, McBean was elected by representatives from ICSU’s 120 National Members and 30 International Scientific Unions gathered at the 30th ICSU General Assembly in Rome, Italy, on 27–30 September 2011. He is set to succeed the current ICSU President, Yuan Tseh Lee, in October 2014, and will be the first Canadian to take up this office. View press release. (Photo copied from people.uleth.ca)
Early Career Members Committee
The Early Career Members Committee (ECMC) provides members of the ASA, CSSA, and SSSA with opportunities for collaboration and development of the early career scientists program. Read more.
Frontiers in Soil Science Research: Report of a Workshop
 Released August 26, 2009 in response to a 2005 USNC/SS Frontiers in Soil Science Research Workshop, the report centers on seven key questions addressing research fields for soil science disciplines, as well as the need for integration across soil science with other disciplines. Download the Report in Brief (58KB PDF) or read the report online. View more Activities & Events | |
