By Blake Jackson
Two University of Wisconsin-River Falls faculty members, Bahareh Hassanpour and Jill Coleman Wasik, have been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to study carbon and nitrogen cycling in agricultural soils.
The $400,000 grant, funded under the NSF's EMBRACE program, will support research and education at the undergraduate institution.
Hassanpour, an assistant professor of environmental science and environmental engineering, is the principal investigator of the project. “We are very excited that this grant supports bringing research staff to our campus and provides funding for our undergraduate students to be involved in research,” Hassanpour said.
Agricultural activities have depleted carbon in soils, leading to reduced soil quality, biodiversity, and water balance. Excessive nitrogen from fertilizers can contaminate waterways, causing algal blooms and fish kills, or leach into groundwater, making it unsafe to drink.
The study will investigate how environmental conditions, such as precipitation and soil water content, influence carbon and nitrogen cycling in soils.
This knowledge is essential for farmers to make informed decisions about land use, crop management, and nutrient management strategies.
The project aligns with one of the priority research areas of Wisconsin's Dairy Innovation Hub, stewarding land and water resources.
Hassanpour's previous research, funded by the Hub, provided valuable data that contributed to the successful NSF grant application.
Hassanpour's personal experience growing up in Iran, where water scarcity and pollution were prevalent, inspired her career path.
She witnessed the challenges faced by communities in accessing safe drinking water and was drawn to agricultural engineering with a focus on water engineering. Her work at UW-River Falls continues to address these critical issues.
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