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My research program really seeks to understand how organisms interact with each other and
the physical environment within the context of agricultural production systems. The goal
of my work is to develop agriculture production systems that can be managed profitably, that
require fewer chemical inputs, that are resilient in the face of climate variability, and that
do not pollute the environment.
The ultimate goal of my research is to improve the sustainability of agriculture, and because
we are all affected by agriculture in one way or another, whether you are a farmer or
a consumer or someone who is simply concerned about clean water and environmental conservation.
Any breakthroughs that we can make in terms of developing more sustainable agricultural
practices will have a huge impact on human health and well being as well as the well
being of our natural ecosystems.
My research, and that of others as well, is showing that you don’t necessarily need
to rely on pesticides and external sources of fertilizers to achieve high yields in some
cropping systems, and that actually biological interactions, those that occur naturally within
cropping systems can often be managed in a way so as to supply much and sometimes all
of the crops’ pest management and fertility needs.
I think what excites me the most is that people are really becoming more aware and more interested
in where their food comes from and how it’s being produced and so there is a lot of interest
in sustainable agriculture among the public and among students. And the fact that students
are getting excited about agriculture, and agricultural research in particular is really
exciting.