Research | Teaching | Extension

William “Bill” D. Branch, Georgia Seed Development Professor in Peanut Breeding and Genetics in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, has been elected as Fellow for the National Academy of Inventors (NAI).

Branch is the 17th UGA faculty member to receive this honor, which recognizes inventors whose innovations have had a significant impact on society, economic development and quality of life.

In observance of World Soil Day (WSD) on December 5th, students and faculty on all three campuses sponsored soil-related activities to provide UGA students with a break from exams.

In Athens, booths offering soil painting, a soil texture ID contest, soil critters, NRCS and lab demos, and more were set up in front of Miller Plant Sciences building. Participants included faculty and students from CRSS, Odum School of Ecology, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, and folks from the NRCS.

At UGA-Griffin, World Soil Day was celebrated at the Research Garden. Visitors participated in fun-filled, student-led activities that raised awareness about soils and soil properties, including, soil horizons and profiles, soil texture and color, water movement, rocks and minerals. Participants ranged from on-campus students to outside visitors.

The team at UGA-Tifton presented various soil demos, including "soil your undies," soil respiration, microscope viewing of nematodes, cation exchange capacity, water holding capacity, soil compaction, and many more. Participants stated that they really enjoyed the event, and it has deepened their understanding of soil.

World Soil Day highlights the critical role of soil in sustaining life on Earth and underscores the urgent need for sustainable soil management practices. WSD is held annually as a means to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and advocating for the sustainable management of soil resources. The 2024 theme was “caring for soils: measure, monitor, manage.”