The Future Soil Science Students (statement or question?) Nick Balster Department of Soil Science University of Wisconsin - Madison 2007 NRCS NRSS National Conference “Soil Survey — Future Directions in Soil Health and Supporting Productive Lands” June 2007

July 2006 “Soil Science Journal” Baveye and others, 2006 At Cornell 1903 – 2 grads PhD in Soil Science 1909 – Department of Soil Science Other Departments of Soil Science founded ~ 1900 In 2006 – faculty voted to eliminate “Soil and Crop Sciences Major”) < ½ graduate students in soils than 10 years ago Courses and labs filled with other disciplines Do other institutions in U.S. and Canada face similar situation? Is so, how severe? What appears to be the cause? Is the decline necessarily bad? What can be done if viewed as “bad”?

1992 – SSSA Education Committee – survey of SS education U.S. and Canada 2004 – Authors carry out another survey 1.) Significant decline in enrollment 2.) 40% less M.S. and PhD students enrolled 3.) Percentage of Foreigners/Nationals about the same, except for female masters 4.) More females in masters than PhD 5.) More Foreigners in PhD than masters 6.) 10% decrease in Foreign students overall 7.) Greater balance between male and female What they found… Baveye et al. 2006

- 42% decrease in enrollment from 1992 Baveye et al Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources University of California Davis (23 to 47 students – most in Masters)

Baveye et al. 2006

Possible Causes?? Departments continue to emphasize agriculture Departments continue to emphasize agriculture Previous data argues against better profit-driven disciplines Previous data argues against better profit-driven disciplines Our view may be too narrow Our view may be too narrow Soil viewed by public as having no intrinsic value Soil viewed by public as having no intrinsic value Limited training in the fundamental sciences Limited training in the fundamental sciences Failure to promote and market discipline Failure to promote and market discipline

SSSA Advocacy/Education Task Force Action Plan: Summarize Data Engage Social Scientist with interpretation Engage SSSA members – e.g. annual meetings Develop an advocacy action plan (2009) Need More and Better Data: Student enrollment trends? Major issues involving soils in next 10 years? Recognition of Soil Science as discipline? Job market? Introductory soils courses? Curriculum?

SSSA Advocacy/Education Task Force Preliminary conclusions: Student enrollment decreasing Faculty positions decreasing Broader application courses Job opportunities strong We need help! NRCS NSCSS Other soils related organizations