Dr. Krish Jayachandran is a Distinguished University Professor of environmental microbiology/soil science in the Department of Earth and Environment. He received PhD in Plant Pathology with Soil Microbiology focus from Kansas State University, worked as a research Associate at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, and MS in Agricultural Microbiology BS in Agriculture from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. Using microbiology as a central tool, he is specialized in regenerative agriculture, nutrient cycling and soil health, microbial diversity and activity, isolation and characterization of pesticide degrading microorganisms, biocontrol of invasive plant species, marine and freshwater toxins and microbial degradation, and soil-plant-microbial interactions with a core expertise in mycorrhizal and rhizobium symbiosis. His research projects have been funded by the ENP, SFWMD, USDA, NIEH, DOE, Silver Consortium, and World Bank/FAO. He has more than 300 publications, including referred articles, research reports, book chapters, conference publications, and over 50 invited lectures. Dr. Jayachandran co-founded the ongoing FIU Agroecology Program, which he built with the support of USDA grants of more than $17 million towards research, education, student training, and outreach activities. Dr. Jayachandran has supervised directed research projects for more than 300 undergraduate students, graduated 60 master's students, 15 PhD students, and served on numerous doctoral and master's students committees. In his professional field, Dr. Jayachandran served as an Associate Editor for one of the premier environmental journals, Journal of Environmental Quality (2002-07), several journals' Editorial Boards, and currently Associate Editor for NACTA journal and the Soil Science Society of America journal. He also served on approximately 35 research panels (as panel member and panel manager) that included EPA, NSF, USDA agencies. Dr. Jayachandran received several awards for his teaching, research, mentorship, service, community engagement from FIU and Fellow of American Society of Agronomy, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Fellow, Israel Science Fellow, and recently became Jefferson Science Fellow.