EDUCATION

Ph.D., Ecology, University of Georgia (1994)

M.S., Plant Genetics & Breeding, Nanjing Agricultural University China (1987)

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2013—present: Professor, Entomology & Plant Pathology, Plant & Microbial Biology, NC State University

2006—2012:   Associate Professor, Plant Pathology & Plant Biology, NC State University

1999—2005:   Assistant Professor, Plant Pathology & Plant Biology, NC State University

1996—1999:   NSF Postdoctoral Fellow, Integrative Biology/ESPM, UC Berkeley

1994—1996:   Visiting Postdoctoral Scholar, Plant Pathology, UC Davis

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Plant-microbial interactions; Microbial controls over global biogeochemical cycles; Climate change effects on plant-microbe interactions; Ecosystem C sequestration; Organic farming and greenhouse gas emissions from agroecosystems.

CURRENT PROJECTS

1. Greenhouse gas emissions from conventional and organic agroecosystems;
2. Endophytic bacteria in switchgrass and their effects on soil C and N cycling.

HONORS AND RECOGNITION

2021:   AAAS Fellow: American Association for the Advancement of Science

2021:   ESA Fellow: Ecological Society of America

2002:   William Boright Hewitt & Maybelle Ellen Ball Hewitt Award, American Phytopathological Society

TEACHING

 Ecology of Soil Ecosystems: PP727

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS (Ten out of 180)

View on Google Scholar or View on ResearchGate

• Zhang, X., Qiu, Y., Gilliam, F.S., Gillespie, C., Tu, C., Reberg-Horton, S.C., and Hu, S., 2022. Arbuscular mycorrhizae shift community composition of N-cycling microbes and suppress soil N₂O emission. Environmental Science & Technology. doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.2c03816.
• Bloszies, S.A., Reberg‐Horton, S.C., Heitman, J.L., Woodley, A.L., Grossman, J.M. and Hu, S., 2022. Legume cover crop type and termination method effects on labile soil carbon and nitrogen and aggregation. Agronomy Journal.
• Qiu, Y., Guo, L., Xu, X., Zhang, L., Zhang, K., Chen, M., Zhao, Y., Burkey, K.O., Shew, H.D., Zobel, R.W., Zhang, Y., and Hu, S. 2021. Warming and elevated ozone induce tradeoffs between fine roots and mycorrhizal fungi and stimulate organic carbon decomposition. Science Advances, 7(28), p.eabe9256.
• Qiu, Y., Jiang, Y., Guo, L., Zhang, L., Burkey, K.O., Zobel, R.W., Reberg-Horton, S.C., Shew, H.D. and Hu, S., 2019. Shifts in the composition and activities of denitrifiers dominate CO₂ stimulation of N₂O emissions. Environmental Science & Technology, 53(19), pp.11204-11213.
• Zhang, P., Li, B., Wu, J. and Hu, S., 2019. Invasive plants differentially affect soil biota through litter and rhizosphere pathways: a meta‐analysis. Ecology Letters, 22(1), pp.200-210.
• Qiu, Y., Jiang, Y., Guo, L., Burkey, K.O., Zobel, R.W., Shew, H.D. and Hu, S., 2018. Contrasting warming and ozone effects on denitrifiers dominate soil N₂O emissions. Environmental Science & Technology, 52(19), pp.10956-10966.
• Ye, C., Chen, D., Hall, S.J., Pan, S., Yan, X., Bai, T., Guo, H., Zhang, Y., Bai, Y. and Hu, S., 2018. Reconciling multiple impacts of nitrogen enrichment on soil carbon: plant, microbial and geochemical controls. Ecology letters, 21(8), pp.1162-1173.
• Zhang, L., Qiu, Y., Cheng, L., Wang, Y., Liu, L., Tu, C., Bowman, D.C., Burkey, K.O., Bian, X., Zhang, W. and Hu, S., 2018. Atmospheric CO₂ enrichment and reactive nitrogen inputs interactively stimulate soil cation losses and acidification. Environmental Science & Technology, 52(12), pp.6895-6902.
• Cheng, L., Booker, F.L., Tu, C., Burkey, K.O., Zhou, L., Shew, H.D., Rufty, T.W. and Hu, S., 2012. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi increase organic carbon decomposition under elevated CO₂. Science, 337(6098), pp.1084-1087.
• Hu, S., Chapin, F.S., III, Firestone, M.K., Field, C.B. and Chiariello, N.R. 2001. Nitrogen limitation of microbial decomposition in a grassland under elevated CO₂. Nature 409:188-191.

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Ecological Society of America (ESA)