Making of a Soil Scientist

Rattan Lal, Ph.D., is a Distinguished University Professor and Director of CFAES Rattan Lal Center for Carbon Management and Sequestration, the Ohio State University (1987-to date), was soil Physicist (1969-1987) at IITA, Ibadan, Nigeria, and a senior research Fellow (1968-1969) at the University of Sydney, Australia. His research interests are soil carbon sequestration, soil physical properties and processes, soil health, conservation agriculture, soil restoration and sustainable management of soils, and food and nutritional security. He has authored, co-authored ~1100 journal articles, 575 book chapters, and written/edited 110 books. He has mentored about 400 scholars from around the world. He was President of the World Association of Soil and Water Conservation (1987-1990), International Soil & Tillage Research Organization (1987-1989), Soil Science Society of America (2006-2008), and the International Union of Soil Sciences (2017-2018). Prof. Lal is a member of 7 global professional academies, and has received 9 honorary degrees from universities in USA, Europe, India and South America. He holds a Chair in Soil Science and Goodwill Ambassador for Sustainability Issues for IICA, Costa Rica. He was a member of the 2021-UNFSS Science Committee and Action Track 3 with focus on “Coalition 4 Action on Soil Health”. He is a member of the U.N. Food System Coordination Hub, Prof. Lal is laureate of the 2018 World Soil Prize, 2019 Japan Prize, 2020 World Food Prize, 2020 Arrell Innovation Prize, and 2021 Padma Shri Award from the President of India.