Katie L. Lewis is an agricultural and environmental soil scientist and continually striving to enhance her understanding of the critical challenges currently facing agriculture and society. As the daughter of a South Texas farmer (Taft, San Patricio County), she was introduced at a young age to these challenges of sustainable agriculture and how they affect society. Dr. Lewis considers soil to be one of our most valuable natural resources, with the ability to produce food, feed and fiber, recycle wastes, filter and break down contaminants, and sequester carbon. As an assistant professor of soil chemistry and fertility at Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Texas Tech University, Dr. Lewis is provided the opportunity through research and service to enhance the agricultural sustainability of the Texas High Plains region that is vitally important to both Texas and the nation, while helping educate future scientists, farmers, society, and policy-makers. Dr. Lewis received her BS in chemistry from Sam Houston State University in 2008. She received her MS and PhD in 2010 and 2014, respectively, from Texas A&M University. With a joint appointment at Texas A&M AgriLife Research in Lubbock (75% research) and Texas Tech University (25% teaching), Dr. Lewis is deeply engaged in research, teaching and service.
Brian Arnall is a precision nutrient management Extension specialist for Oklahoma State University. He has served in that role since earning his doctorate in soil science from Oklahoma State University in 2008. Brian's Extension, teaching, and research efforts are focused on precision technologies and nutrient management in all of Oklahoma's cropping systems, with an emphasis on site-specific techniques. He works closely with Extension educators and industry personnel to improve nutrient management practices among Oklahoma producers that will lead to increased profitability. Ongoing studies are focused on developing methods to use sensor-based technologies, improving the timing and placement of nitrogen fertilizer, increasing nutrient use efficiency, and improving recommendations for phosphorus fertilizer. In addition, Brian has a crew of developers producing iOS and Android applications.
