Department of Crop and Soil Sciences

Aug 10, 2015

Study helps farmers along Dan River make decisions following coal ash spill

When 39,000 tons of coal ash entered the Dan River in 2014 from a ruptured pipe at a Duke Energy steam plant near Eden, farmers who grow crops and graze cattle along the river banks turned to Cooperative Extension with questions about contamination. And NC State University soil scientists provided research-based answers. 

Aug 10, 2015

Ph.D. student sheds light on wellwater contamination here and abroad

NC State University soil science alumna and Ph.D. student Elizabeth Gillispie wants to help and positively impact as many people as she can through water and soil quality research. 

May 8, 2015

For the dirt on soils, check out “Dig It!”

Soil: It’s much more than dirt. It’s a dynamic resource that supports nearly every form of life on Earth, and an exhibit at a Raleigh museum is aimed at raising the public’s awareness of its value and complexity. CALS scientists have been heavily involved. 

May 6, 2015

Student Perspectives: Elizabeth Gillispie

CALS Ph.D. student Elizabeth Gillispie has gotten a mix of experiences at NC State – experiences she hopes to build upon in her career as a soil scientist. Her current research sheds light on arsenic contamination of groundwater, which can cause serious human health problems. 

Feb 5, 2015

CALS research sheds light on toxic arsenic problem in Southeast Asian well water

Every day, more than 100 million people throughout South and Southeast Asia drink well water contaminated by toxic levels of arsenic. But two NC State University scientists are conducting fundamental research aimed at changing that. 

Feb 5, 2015

Barrett Kays breaks new ground in career spanning soil science and landscape architecture

Dr. Barrett Kays may never have outgrown the near-universal childhood love of playing in the dirt, but he’s not out making mud pies. Instead, the NC State University alumnus is designing soils that support some of the nation’s most complicated landscape architectural projects. 

Apr 21, 2014

Study: Dan River water safe for irrigation, livestock

Using projections of water-quality trends based on hundreds of water analyses made during a 40-day period following the release of approximately 39,000 tons of coal ash into the Dan River on Feb. 2, 2014, North Carolina State University soil scientists conclude that the river water is suitable for use as irrigation water on crops and as drinking water for livestock. 

Feb 6, 2013

Student Perspectives: Suzanne O’Connell and Aaron Fox

Ph.D. students Suzanne O'Connell and Aaron Fox immersed themselves in Croatian agriculture, cuisine and culture as they spent a month exploring study abroad options with the University of Zagreb's Faculty of Agriculture. 

Aug 6, 2012

Drop by drop: Soil scientists investigate ways to safely treat wastewater for reuse

CALS scientists use an innovative the field lab site to demonstrate how new decentralized technologies can be used to produce non-potable waters -- those that aren’t used for drinking, cooking, showering or bathing -- at the point where the water is initially used, whether it be in an individual home, a small business or small communities. 

Mar 5, 2012

Beyond the yuck factor

Why do Americans continue to flush their toilets with drinking water? It’s a question that an N.C. State University team of soil scientists contemplates every day as they work to show that small-scale wastewater reuse can be a way to ensure a safe and plentiful water supply in the face of projected nationwide water shortfalls.