UMES gets half-million dollar grant to bolster soil studies

PRINCESS ANNE, Md. – Professors at the University of Maryland Eastern shore say a half-million dollar grant from the USDA is an exciting research opportunity that will help expand understanding of soil testing across the country. “We work to make sure students are benefiting even if it’s indirectly or a bit after the project has ended,” said Dr. Amy Collick.

Dr. Collick, Dr. Arthur Allen, and Dr. Fawzy Hashem will be heading the project at UMES. The three professors will soon identify sampling sites, coordinate accurate field sampling, and supervise lab analysis.

Dr. Arthur Allen says the grant will help UMES and the Alabama A&M University to collect soil samples and standardize the way it’s tested. Those samples will be sent to a USDA lab where they will be tested and used to create reproduceable results when collecting samples. “We’re all using the same standards. By doing that and comparing the same results, the results should be uniform,” said Dr. Allen.

Dr. Collick says this is important because not only will it expand opportunities for students to learn and get prepared to work in the scientific field. It’ll also help boost the national soil database right from their own backyard here in Maryland. “We’re able to work with state and federal institutions to really build capacity within our soil sampling and soil analysis procedures,” said Dr. Collick.

At the end of the two year project researchers will have to submit a report on their findings.