Position Announcement - Soil Health Institute

Letter of motivation

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February 20, 2021

To the Executive Secretariat of the 4 per 1000 Initiative:

Understand and deliver; these are the motivations for all my past and current accomplishments. I became aware of the wide gap between research and adoption while working as a project manager for the Corporate Relations Office at Texas A&M University, where I developed and managed projects in soil and crop sciences, renewable energy, and agricultural engineering. As a project manager with my Master of Science degree in soil physics and hydrology, I saw that, while researchers have deep understandings of the complexity of our soil and agriculture systems, much research never leaves the nuanced findings of research papers to be broadly applied. The desire to close this gap and make sure science is applied for the
good of people and the environment lead me to form a Soil Security Team at Texas A&M University. This team is composed of soil scientists, economists, and sociologists and continues after my leaving Texas A&M University. As part of this team, I earned my Ph.D. while being mentored in impactful transdisciplinary scientific approaches. I found that I am a good fit for interdisciplinary work because my project management skills allow me to keep the team focused on the goals that unite us, rather than the differences in our disciplines. At the same time, my passion for the details of multiple disciplines kept me from being satisfied with simple answers so that we could do groundbreaking science. Examples of Team success include publications on testing an innovative smartphone application that allows farmers to measure their soil’s aggregate stability, developing a novel laser scanning technique for quantifying how no-till improves soil structure, and documenting the indicators of soil health that farmers in central Texas value the most.

My current work as a research scientist for the Soil Health Institute (SHI) is more than a job to me – it is the outworking of my professional identity. The mission of SHI, which is to safeguard and enhance the vitality and productivity of soil, aligns with my drive to understand and deliver – to understand the complexities of inherent soil properties, landscape variability, and the real and urgent needs of soil managers and society and then to deliver timely, practical solutions that address global existential challenges like climate change, food security, energy sustainability, and equity. My research and duties at SHI include developing equations to predict how soil health improves drought resilience and charting a path to achieve net-zero carbon emissions in U.S. agriculture through soil health. The comprehensive strategy of SHI and my own focus and values are completely aligned with the aim of the 4 per 1000 initiative to demonstrate that agricultural soils can play a crucial role in addressing food security and climate change. Both of our organizations agree that the task at hand is to transition towards productive, highly resilient agricultural systems, based on the appropriate management of lands and soils, creating jobs, and ensuring sustainable development.

It is this strong connection between our goals that compels me to submit my application for the position of Incoming Vice-President of the Consortium of Members of the 4 per 1000 Initiative. I am fully committed to bringing both my scientific passion and my experience in management to understanding the needs of the initiative and serving in the role of Vice-President so that both our initiatives can deliver the solutions that society and the environment urgently need.

Most sincerely,

Dianna Bagnall

____________________________________________________________________

Curriculum Vitae

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D.K. Bagnall C.V

Dianna K. Bagnall
Ph.D.

Education

  • Ph.D. Soil Science, Texas A&M University, 2019
  • M.S Soil Science, Texas A&M University, 2014
  • B.S. Plant and Env. Soil Science, magna cum laude, Texas A&M University, 2012

Employment

  • Research Soil Scientist, Soil Health Institute, 2019 to present
  • Graduate Research Assistant, Texas A&M University, 2016 to 2019
  • Project Manager, Texas A&M AgriLife Research Corporate Relations, 2014 to 2016

Honors and Awards

  1. Graduate Research in Soil Science Award, Soil and Crop Sciences Dep., 2018
  2. Australian Academy of Science Ph.D. research intern, University of Sydney, 2018
  3. First place poster and oral, soil physics division, Soil Science Society of America, 2013
  4. Kirkham Soil Physics scholarship to present research in New Zealand, 2012
  5. Hank Beachell Future Leader Scholarship award winner, 2012
  6. National Award for scholastic achievements, Soil Science Society of America, 2012
  7. Professional Soil Scientists Association of Texas Student of the Year, 2012
  8. Outstanding Senior in Department of Soil and Crop Sciences at Texas A&M, 2012
  9. Second place oral, Students of Agronomy, Soils, and Environmental Sciences, 2011
  10. Most Outstanding Female Student in Kilgore College Agriculture Department, 2010

Grants Received

  1. Wrote soil science narrative, prepared supplementary materials, and organized submission for “Actionable Links between Soil Function, Ecosystem Services, and Stakeholder Perceptions to Overcome Barriers to Improved Soil Management.” Awarded by United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture in 2017, grant number 2018-67019-27975.
  2. Co-wrote “Quantifying Soil Capital Value and Soil Connections to Society: Toward Achieving Global Soil Security.” Awarded by Texas A&M University College of Agriculture and Life Science Grand Challenge in 2016.

Professional Activities

  1. Member SSSA, Soil Science Outstanding Dissertation Award Committee, 2020
  2. Mentor for Soil and Water Management and Conservation Division of SSSA, 2020
  3. Professional grant development workshop, Grant Training Center, 2019 D.K. Bagnall C.V Page 2 of 4
  4. Member, Climate & Diversity Committee, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, 2019
  5. Passed fundamentals of soil science exam, 2018
  6. Member, Soil Health Institute Economic Action Team, 2016 to 2019
  7. Member, Soil Science Society of America, 2011 to Present
  8. Member, Professional Soil Scientists Association of Texas, 2017 to Present
  9. Promotional videos to educate soil and crop students about job opportunities, 2016
  10. Soils presentation for National Science Teachers Association, 2013
  11. Conducted soil surveys and electrical conductivity surveys in South Africa, 2012
  12. Spoke with U.S. congressman on behalf of farmers, National Sorghum Producers, 2012

Teaching Activities

  1. Mentor for two undergraduate student research projects, 2017-2019
  2. Teaching Assistant and Lecturer, Soil Morphology, Texas A&M University, 2019
  3. Teaching Assistant, Introduction to Soil Science, Texas A&M University, 2017
  4. Teaching Assistant, Water in Soil and Plants, Texas A&M University, 2014
  5. Coach and staff trainer at first Australian soil judging competition, 2012
  6. Co-coach Texas A&M University soil judging team that advanced to nationals, 2012

Peer-Reviewed Papers Journal Publications

  1. Bagnall, D.K., & C.L.S. Morgan, 2021. SLAKES and 3D Scans characterize management effects on soil structure in farm fields. Soil and Tillage. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2020.104893.
  2. Bagnall, D.K., E. J. Jones, S. Balke, C.L.S. Morgan, & A.B. McBratney, 2020. An In Situ Method for Quantifying Tillage Effects on Soil Structure Using Multistripe Laser Triangulation. Geoderma. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2020.114642.
  3. Bagnall, D.K., W.A. McIntosh, C.L.S. Morgan, R.T. Woodward, M. Cisneros, M. Black, E.M. Kiella, & S. Ale. 2020. Farmers’ insights on soil health indicators and adoption. Agrosyst Geosci Environ. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/agg2.20066.
  4. Flynn, K.D., D.K., Bagnall, & C.L.S, Morgan, 2019. Evaluation of SLAKES, a smartphone application for quantifying aggregate stability, in high-clay soils. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. doi:10.1002/saj2.20012
  5. Bagnall, D.K., C.L.S, Morgan, G.W. Moore, & J.L., Heilman, 2019. Testing a Water Redistribution Model in a Cracked Vertisol at Two Scales. Vadose Zone J. doi: 10.2136/vzj2018.09.0173
  6. Bagnall, D.K., P.M.C Gutierrez, Y. Yimam, C.L.S. Morgan, H. Neely, & J. Ackerson, 2018. Effect of air- and water-filled gaps on neutron moisture meter measurements. Vadose Zone J. doi: 10.2136/vzj2018.07.0137

Book Chapters and Articles

  1. Kiella, E.M. and D.K. Bagnall. 2019. To Till or Not to Till. Texas A&M University Real Estate Center. Publication 2256. https://www.recenter.tamu.edu/articles/tierragrande/ToTillorNottoTill-2256 D.K. Bagnall C.V Page 3 of 4
  2. Bagnall, D.K., C.L.S. Morgan, R.T. Woodward and W.A. McIntosh. 2019. Approach to valuing soil ecosystem services with linking indicators. p. 19-26. In A.C. Richer-de-Forges et al. (ed.) Global soil security: towards more science-society interfaces. Taylor and Francis Group, London England.
  3. Morgan, C.L.S., G.D. Morgan, D.K. Bagnall. 2017. Social Licensing to Secure Soil. In D.J. Field, C.L.S. Morgan, A.B. McBratney (ed.) Global Soil Security. Springer, NY. pp 247-251.

Presentations and Abstracts

  1. Bagnall, D.K., S. Cappallazzi, G. Bean, M. Cope, D. Liptzin, K.L.H. Greub, E.L. Rieke, C.E. Norris, P. Tracy, C.L.S. Morgan, and C.W. Honeycutt. 2020. Management Sensitive Pedotransfer Functions for Plant Available Water. Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting, Soil Physics Division. Oral
  2. Bagnall, D.K., S. Cappallazzi, G. Bean, M. Cope, D. Liptzin, K.L.H. Greub, E.L. Rieke, C.E. Norris, P. Tracy, C.L.S. Morgan, and C.W. Honeycutt. 2020. A New Tool for Farmers to Build Drought Resilience Through Soil Health. Soil Health Institute Annual Meeting. Oral.
  3. Bagnall, D.K., Wm. A. McIntosh, C.L.S. Morgan, M. Black, M. Cisneros, R. T. Woodward and E Kiella. 2019. Common Ground: Developing Meaningful, Measurable, Indicators of Soil Health. Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting, Soil Physics Division. Oral
  4. Bagnall, D.K., C.L.S. Morgan, R.T. Woodward, Wm. A. McIntosh, S. Ale, M. Black, S. Samanta. 2019. Investigating Soil Health and Stakeholder Motivations in the Texas Blackland Prairies. Soil Health Institute Annual Meeting. Poster
  5. Bagnall, D.K., C.L.S. Morgan, E. Jones, A.B. McBratney, S.N. Vaughan. 2019. 3-D Scans Soil Structure Scans Show Effect of Management. Pedometrics Meeting. Oral
  6. Bagnall, D.K., C.L.S. Morgan, E. Jones, A.B. McBratney, S.N. Vaughan. 2019. 3-D Scans Soil Structure Scans Show Effect of Management. Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting, Soil Physics Division. Oral
  7. Bagnall, D.K., C.L.S. Morgan, R.T. Woodward, W.A. McIntosh and M. Black. 2018. Soil Security Investigation in the Brazos River Watershed of Texas, USA. Soil Security Symposium. Oral
  8. Bagnall, D.K., C.L.S. Morgan, R.T. Woodward, W.A. McIntosh and M. Black. 2017. Translating Soil Physical Measures to Estimate On-Farm and Off-Farm Benefits: Linking Indicators. Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting, Soil Physics Division. Oral
  9. Bagnall, D.K., C.L.S. Morgan, R.T. Woodward, W.A. McIntosh and M. Black. 2017. Communicating Soil Information to Effect Change: Linking Indicators. Soil Survey Land Resource Workshop. Oral
  10. Bagnall, D.K., C.L.S. Morgan, R.T. Woodward and W.A. McIntosh. 2016. Linking Indicators for Soil Security. Soil Security Symposium. Oral
  11. Bagnall, D.K. 2015. The Value Embedded Soil Science Knowledge. Soil Security Symposium.
  12. Bagnall, D.K., C.L.S. Morgan, K.J. McInnes, and C.C Molling. 2014. A Two-Domain Mesopore and Matrix Model for Cracking Soils. Soil Survey Land Resource Workshop. Oral D.K. Bagnall C.V
  13. Bagnall, D.K., C.L.S. Morgan, K.J. McInnes, and C.C. Molling. 2013. A Two-Domain Mesopore and Matrix Model for Cracking Soils. Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting, Soil Physics Division. Oral
  14. Bagnall, D.K., C.L.S. Morgan, C.C. Molling, K.J. McInnes, and H.L. Neely. 2012. Modeling Hydrology in a Vertisol with Circular Gilgai. Kirkham Conference, Exploring Frontiers in Soil Physics. Oral
  15. Morgan, C.L.S., K.J. McInnes, D.K. Fisher, and C.C Molling. 2012. Toward Including MultiScale Soil Properties that Influence Hydrology Modeling. EUROSOIL Conference. Poster 16. Fisher, D.K., C.L.S. Morgan, C.C. Molling, K.J. McInnes, and H.L. Neely. 2011. Modeling Retention and Infiltration of Water in a Vertisol with Circular Gilgai. Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting, Soil Physics Division. Oral

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