Colorado State University’s Francesca Cotrufo, a professor in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences within the College of Agricultural Sciences, has been named a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union. AGU Fellows are recognized for demonstrating “scientific eminence in the Earth and space sciences through achievements in research.”
AGU is a professional organization comprised of roughly 60,000 members of Earth, atmospheric, ocean, hydrologic, space and planetary scientists formed in 1919. Each year, the union elects fewer than 0.1% of its members for selection as fellows.
“This really means a lot,” Cotrufo said. “As a biogeochemist, I have been a member of this society for a long time, so it was particularly significant for me to be recognized in this way for my scientific contributions.”
Cotrufo was honored for “pioneering advances to understanding the pathways of soil organic matter formation and the microbial efficiency matrix stabilization (MEMS) framework.”
Cotrufo is an expert in decomposition and soil organic matter dynamics. Her MEMS framework was a critical driver of a paradigm shift in our understanding of the role of microbes in the formation of soil organic matter, specifically as it relates to the amount of carbon stored underground. Soil carbon functions as an essential building block of nutrient-rich organic matter. Scientists estimate there is more than twice the amount of carbon in soil as there is in the atmosphere, and understanding how carbon cycles between the two is particularly important research against the backdrop of climate change.
“That shift has really transformed and influenced the ways we manage the land and the ways in which we model the ecosystem,” Cotrufo said. “Before, we thought you had to shut the microbes down to keep up the amount of carbon in the soil; now, we know the microbes need to be doing their work.”
Cotrufo’s work helps inform climate and land use policy and management, and she pursues applied research aimed at proposing soil management practices that regenerate healthy soils and mitigate climate change.
Cotrufo was honored as a fellow during a ceremony at the annual AGU meeting in Washington, D.C.
College of Agricultural Sciences
In the context of a changing climate, CSU’s College of Agricultural Sciences meets global challenges in food safety, food security, wellness and economic prosperity through the sustainable use of natural resources. On campus and at 11 research centers throughout the state, researchers partner with communities and industry to investigate potential improvements to food production and agribusiness. Through sustainability-focused academic programs, students engage in experiential learning as they develop the professional skills and technical expertise needed to advance agriculture in Colorado and beyond.
The post Professor Francesca Cotrufo honored as AGU Fellow appeared first on College of Agricultural Sciences.