Shanon Hankin

Current project: I am coordinating the design of a research network initiative funded by the National Science Foundation called “Soil for Society Network”. In collaboration with Principal Investigators from Texas A&M University, Kansas State University, University of Nebraska Lincoln, University of Alaska Fairbanks, University of California Davis, Mississippi State University, and other partners, we are designing a strategic network to address global challenges of land and soil management for water & food security, ecosystem preservation, and climate change mitigation.

Why this matters: Land and soil management can play a critical role in solving the existential crises of food and water security, loss of biodiversity, and climate change. Improving the resilience of our land and soil systems through management requires collaboration spanning nations, cultures, societal sectors, and scientific disciplines. To address this challenge, it is imperative we design a diverse and inclusive network spanning developing and developed nations across the globe.