Professor Jennifer Dungait FRSB FISoilSci
Biography
Professor Jennifer Dungait is a globally renowned soil scientist with 20 years’ academic research experience in Soil Biogeochemistry now working as an freelance consultant in soil health management after establishing Soil Health Expert in 2018.
She is a Fellow of the Institute of Soil Science (F.I. Soil Sci.) and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology (FRSB).
Jenni has a passion for science communication and knowledge transfer and has developed a large international network of researchers in soil science and partners in the agricultural industry.
She is the Editor-in-Chief of the European Journal of Soil Science, an international peer-reviewed scientific journal published by Wiley for the British Society of Soil Science.
Academic Achievement
Jenni is an Honorary Professor at Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) and Honorary Professor in the College of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Exeter, UK.
She has a substantial record of peer-reviewed academic publication, citations and impact.
- 108 peer-reviewed research publications, H-index 32, >3700 citations, Web of Science, May 2022
A full list of Jenni's academic research papers and book chapters are available via her profile at Google Scholar
Education
2006 PhD in Organic Geochemistry, University of Bristol
Thesis title: Molecular and compound-specific stable isotope investigation of the fate of dung carbon in a temperate grassland soil
1999 MSc in Crop Protection, IACR Long Ashton (University of Bath)
Dissertation title: Using genetic markers to investigate the mating behaviour of willow beetles
1994 BSc Hons in Environmental Science, University of London (Birkbeck College)
Dissertation: Investigation of the diverse nature and patchy distribution of vegetation at Warren Farm, Surrey
Employment
Current Position
2019-present Editor-in-Chief of the European Journal of Soil Science, UK
2018-present Freelance Consultant, Soil Health Expert, UK
Honorary Position(s)
2022-present Honorary Professor, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, UK
2019-present Honorary Professor, Carbon Management Centre, Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), UK
2015-2022 Honorary Associate Professor, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, UK
2016-2019 Visiting Professor, Royal Agricultural College, UK
2012 Visiting Scholar, Carbon Sequestration and Mitigation Center, The Ohio State University, USA
2010-2015 Honorary Research Fellow, School of Biosciences, University of Exeter, UK
Previous employment
2014-2018 Principal Research Scientist, Rothamsted Research, UK
2008-2014 Senior Research Scientist, Rothamsted Research, UK
2005-2008 Postdoctoral Research Associate, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, UK
1999-2001 Plant Centre Assistant, The National Arboretum, Westonbirt, Gloucestershire, UK
1997-1998 Lifelong Learning Advisor, Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, Bristol, UK
1993-1997 Project Coordinator, National Council for Vocational Qualifications, London and Bristol, UK
1988-1989 Magazine Administrator, EMAP, London, UK
Public Engagement, Media and Resources
In the news
December 2021 Subsoiler helps soil and cover crops on heavy land in Northants by David Jones, Farmers Weekly
October 2021 Soil Focus Eases Black Grass Burden by Tom Allen Stevens, Crop Protection Magazine
https://www.cpm-magazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/ResultsOct21.pdf
May 2021 The Crop It Like It's Hot Podcast: How can arable farmers be more resilient to adverse weather? by Alice Dyer, Farmers Guardian
February 2021 Real Results Pioneers – Dig down to preserve potential by Tom Allen-Stevens, Crop Protection Magazine
February 2021
Agroecology: Benefits of trees for farm soils by Bob Walker, Farming Today, Radio 4, 03.02.2021
January 2021 Effect of Farm Management on Topsoil Organic Carbon and Aggregate Stability in Water by Jenni Dungait, Direct Driller
December 2020 Sustainable Gain - The Biggest Carbon Store on Earth by Tom Allen-Stevens, Crop Protection Magazine
June 2020 Cereals Live: Top tips on climate proofing your soil by Alice Dyer, Farmers Guardian
April 2020 'Urgent need' for national soil monitoring as lack of investment is revealed by Alice Dyer, Farmers Guardian
February 2020 7 ways to flood-proof soils and improve drainage by David Jones, Farmers Weekly
February 2020 What is the impact of waterlogging on soil and crop health? by Alice Dyer, Farmers Guardian
June 2019 Teabags tell the story of the soil by Tom Allen-Stevens, Crop Protection Magazine
April 2019
Mud and guts: Europe’s forgotten environmental crisis by Emmet Livingstone, Politico.
November 2017
Farm Soil Subsidies Letters to the Editor, The Times, November 30 2017
March 2017 Measuring and monitoring soil health by Ann Hardy, Farmers Guardian
February 2014 Grasses offer best hope of slowing down flood waters Western Morning News
Presentations
April 2021 Digging Deeper into Your Soils: Part 2 North Wessex Downs Spring Webinar Programme online
March 2021 Getting to Know Your Soils: Part 1 North Wessex Downs Spring Webinar Programme online
January 2021 Tooling up to tackle carbon: what are we learning about carbon sequestration ORFC Global on-line
January 2021 Future-Proofing farms against climate change: the role of trees in healthy soil management ORFC Global on-line
June 2020 Climate proofing farm soils Cereals LIVE, virtual event, Climate Change webinar
March 2020 Repaying the soil carbon debt Sustainable Futures Annual Conference, York.
January - March 2020 Flooding and farmland soils BASF Real Results Roadshow (Newbury, Exeter, Shrewsbury, Maidstone, Suffolk, Lincoln, York, Edinburgh)
January 2020 What is a healthy soil? Oxford Farming Conference 2020, Breakout session: How do we define a Healthy Farm?
November 2019 Soils and sustainable farming Innovation for Agriculture, Kelso.
March 2019
The importance of soil organic matter for soil quality British Grassland Society Winter Conference, Solihull
February 2019 Cashing in on Carbon FCCT The Soil Carbon Project Workshop, Ladock and Warwick.
January 2019 The role of soil carbon in sustainable farm management & Become a Soil Health Expert for your farm: A farmer-led Soil Health Index Real Oxford Farming Conference, Oxford
January 2019 Cultivate your Carbon BASF Real Results Conference, Cambridge
September 2017
Food for Thought Adapt:Modify Symposium,
Wellcome Collection, London
June 2018 Dirt Unearthed BASF Crop Protection Global Sustainability Workshop, Germany
February 2017 Options for using Proxy Measures to Monitor Soil Health and Soil Organic Matter Pasture Fed Livestock Association, Fir Farm, Glos
September 2016 Soil carbon: a view from the lab Pasture Fed Livestock Association, Sheepdrove Farm, Berks.
February 2015 Farming Profitably in a Changing Climate FCCT meeting, Harnhill Farm, Cirencester, Glos.
March 2014 Benefits of Building Soil Carbon: the current scientific evidence Building Soil Carbon Masterclass, Farm Carbon Cutting Toolkit meeting, Lower Northcott Farm, Devon.
October 2013 The Benefits of Carbon for Soil Quality Forage Field Conference, Soil the Hidden Resources, Stoneleigh Park, Warks.
March 2012 T he Benefits of Carbon for Soil Quality Soil Association, Duchy Home Farm, Glos.
Films
February 2017
Do plants need soil to grow? The Royal Society, Prof Brian Cox School Experiments
March 2014 New ‘supergrass’ could reduce flooding ITV Southwest
2011 Health from the Ground Up Pasture Promise TV
June 2013 Measuring a cow's carbon hoofprint BBC Sunday Politics South West
Published resources
March 2018
How can we measure the health of soil simply and cheaply? International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) blog
Fall 2017 Soil Health: The Beating Heart of Sustainable Farming A Greener World Sustainable Farming magazine
2015 The role of soil and grassland management in low carbon farming In Low Carbon Farming: A Handbook for farmers in the 21st Century . Adams and Johnson. Soil Association.
Academic esteem indicators
Chair of the 6th International Symposium on Soil Organic Matter (SOM2017) Healthy soils for sustainable agriculture: the role of SOM; Key note presentations for the The Royal Society (2017) and Wellcome Foundation (2017)
External examiner of PhD theses in the UK (Bangor, Lancaster and Aberdeen) and overseas (Finland, France, Australia and New Zealand); Previous member of the BBSRC Peer Review College, NERC Soil Security Programme Advisory Board, FAO SOC Management Working Group, GRA Integrative Research Group.
Teaching and education
Guest lectures
2019 Scotland's Rural College Carbon Management: The Legal Perspective and Carbon: Other Opportunities
2019 Universitas Gadjah Maja, Indonesia Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation
2019 University of Gothenburg, Sweden Carbon Isotopes and Soil Carbon
2017 Royal Agricultural University Modern biogeochemical approaches to carbon and nutrient cycling
2016 Royal Agricultural University Soil Biogeochemistry
2015 University of Gothenburg, Sweden Geochemical Microbial Biomarkers
2012-2017 University of Exeter Carbon Cycling and Nutrient Cycling
Supervision
Supervisor of 10 PhD students, 10 MSc projects, 3 BSc projects and 11 visiting researcher projects at the University of Bristol and Rothamsted Research
Coordinator of grassland module of the MSc in Sustainable Agriculture at the University of Exeter
