Stephanie Yarwood teaching in the research greenhouse.
Image Credit: Edwin Remsberg
Professor Stephanie Yarwood has been named the Ray R. Weil Endowed E-Nnovate Professor in Soil Science. The endowment was created in 2018 to support teaching, research, Extension and service activities in the Department of Environmental Science & Technology at the University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. It was funded through a $1M gift from UMD soil science professor Ray Weil and matching funds from the Maryland E-Nnovation Initiative, a state program created to spur basic and applied research and technical fields at colleges and universities.
“Stephanie is highly respected internationally for her specialized work in understanding soil microbiomes using cutting-edge DNA techniques,” said Ray Weil, who was among the faculty members on the selection committee. “She also embodies a broad view of soils as natural bodies in landscapes and integrates her specialized work into the wider field of soil science. Her world-class soil- centric research and highly regarded teaching make her an excellent candidate for this endowed professorship.”
Yarwood teaches advanced courses in soil microbial ecology and environmental microbiology. Her research seeks to understand the microbial ecology of soils across many different ecosystems including agricultural, wetland, forest and urban. She studies how disturbances such as wetland restoration and agricultural management impact microbial communities and what implications those changes have to nitrogen cycling, greenhouse gas emissions and carbon storage. The broad goal of her research is to uncover information that can improve soil management and lead to a more sustainable future.
She is the co-chair of the UMD Center of Excellence in Microbiome Sciences, which serves as a hub for faculty, postdoctoral scholars and graduate students from across campus who are working on microbiome research to share ideas and tools and to collaborate in pursuit of a deeper understanding of complex microbial communities and how those microbiomes interact with each other and with ecosystems.
She received her Ph.D. in soil science from Oregon State University in 2007. Yarwood is the second professor to hold this title. She follows soil science Professor Martin Rabenhorst whose work has focused on the formation and evolution of soils and landscapes.
“I am honored to receive the Professorship,” Yarwood said. “Ray has been a valued colleague and mentor, and soil science has remained strong at University of Maryland through his efforts and others within our department. The collegial environment and commitment to our discipline has provided me with a strong foundation for my own research and teaching efforts.”
