Lincoln, Neb. —
What is your background before coming to the University of Nebraska Lincoln?
I studied Environmental Science in Moscow, Russia, before attending the University of North Dakota to pursue a master’s in Environmental Engineering. I then received my doctorate in Land and Atmospheric Science from the University of Minnesota.
What is your position at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln?
I am an Associate Professor and Extension Specialist in Soil and Nutrient Management at the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture. I am located at the Panhandle Research, Extension, and Education Center in Scottsbluff. I lead research and extension programs focused on improved soil productivity, precision nutrient management, soil health, and sustainability in irrigated, limited irrigation, and dryland crop production systems in the Nebraska Panhandle.
What drew you to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln?
After graduation, I moved from Minnesota to Nebraska in December 2013 to work as a postdoctoral research associate under professor Richard Ferguson. The kind and supportive training I received from Ferguson and other soil specialists we had then, Tim Shaver, Charles Wortman, Charles Shapiro, and Gary Hergert, was pivotal in my decision to continue at Nebraska. Fast forward to 2024; I have been in Nebraska for ten years. Now, I have got many wonderful friends and colleagues. My working relationship with our stakeholders is also very motivating.
What aspect of working in an educational setting do you enjoy the most?
In addition to witnessing the direct impacts of my research in moving science forward and, together with stakeholders, learning and achieving agricultural sustainability and profitability, the student training is a very fulfilling aspect of my work. I have a few graduate students and five to six summer interns on my team every year. I enjoy watching them learn and grow together as concerned and motivated professionals.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Several projects make me proud of myself and my team. If I must pick one, in 2022, I led the Nebraska team to prepare and submit a competitive proposal to the USDA Partnership for Climate-smart Agriculture program. I formed a team of 32 co-PIs at Nebraska and 15 external partners in seven weeks to prepare and submit a $32.2 m proposal. I made five trips from Scottsbluff to Lincoln in those seven weeks; I literally met with more people in seven weeks than in my seven years in Scottsbluff. Although the proposal was not funded, that undertaking enriched my academic experience, introduced me to many new colleagues, and uncovered my potential.
Then, there are research achievements such as the Soil Health Gap and Soil Health Cycle, new terms coined by my team to enhance the science of soil health. I led the effort Nebraska Soil Health School in 2023-2024, where we took the traveling school to seven locations in two years and shared soil health-related knowledge to develop an understanding of healthy soil for sustainable and productive agriculture with more than 600 school participants.
What is something that most people don’t know about you?
I speak five languages: English, Russian, Hindi, Nepali, and Newari. I also speak a little bit of Sinhala.
What is your life like outside of work?
I like traveling. I enjoy spending time with family and friends, watching soccer, and reading books.
