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What does an agronomist actually do?

For a long time, I thought my job was mostly about identifying a problem and figuring out what product would fix it.

Today, I see it differently.

I still believe there is a place for short term treatments, but I also want to understand why the plant became susceptible in the first place.

My goal is to look beyond the symptom, understand what’s happening in the soil-plant system, and use practices and products that work with natural processes rather than always reacting to problems after they appear.

Healthy soil → healthy plants → more resilient crops.

That’s the kind of agronomy I’m passionate about. If you are interested in agronomy or soil science go to the @digindogood page to check out all the cool opportunities! 🌱

#ad #digindogood #soilscience #agronomy

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A little bit about how I found myself down this rabbit hole of soil science!!!!

At UC Berkeley, I studied Molecular Environmental Biology and loved learning how life works at its smallest scales — I was reallly into molecular biology but I kept looking for ways to connect that science to the everyday work of growing food.

Working at the Berkeley Student Farm and on farms in New Zealand and Australia helped those pieces come together. I remember a farmer holding up a handful of compost and explaining how carbon fuels the microbes that cycle nutrients. Suddenly, the chemistry and biology I was studying had a home: agricultural soils.

That excitement brought me to the Berkeley Agroecology Lab, where I worked with farmers, collected soil samples, and investigated how grazing affects soil health. Today, I’m pursuing a PhD at the University of Michigan, asking how agriculture can support healthy soils and farmers’ livelihoods.

If you’re curious about food, microbes, climate, or the land around you, there’s room for you in soil science and agronomy. You don’t have to know your whole path yet. Take a class, work on a farm, ask a question—and follow what makes you want to learn more. Check out @digindogood to see what opportunities might be out there for you 🧚

Created in paid partnership with the Dig In Do Good campaign.

#SoilScience #Agronomy #Agroecology #CareersInScience

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This is what my typical day looks like in the final year of my PhD researching agriculture and wildlife.

My days have changed a lot over the past few years from different field work and PhD milestone requirements, but as my deadline ticks closer it’s becoming lots of analysis and writing.

It’s very cool though to be almost at a point where I can share my findings with you and with the farmers I’ve been working with 🌾💚🐾.

#phdstudent #digindogood @digindogood #spon

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There are SO many cool questions we can try to answer about plants!

One of my favorites is how plants balance taking in the CO₂ they need for photosynthesis with losing water in the process. I get to study questions about how trees use carbon and water for my PhD, but this is just one tiny corner of plant and soil science! Scientists study everything from roots and soil microbes to genetics, plant diseases, nutrients, drought, food production, and countless other questions about how plants grow and interact with the world around them. If you’re someone who loves asking questions about plants and the natural world, there might be a career where you get paid to help answer them.

@DigInDoGood is helping spread the word about all the different career paths you can explore in plant, soil, and environmental science. I’m incredibly grateful to have found a field where I get to spend time with trees, watch how they change through the seasons, and deepen my understanding of the natural world every day. 🌲 Learn more about careers in plant and soil sciences at DigInDoGood.com!

#Ad #PlantScience #SoilScience #STEMCareers #ScienceCommunication

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There are so many folks that set me up for successful seasons of growing crops. If you are interested in an agricultural career in crop or soil science or agronomy check out DigInDoGood.com to learn more about these career paths! #AD #SoilScience #Agronomy #CropScience

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How do I research wildlife on farmland? Here are some of the tools.

📸 Camera traps are motion activated and take pictures of animals.

🦷 With chew cards I can tell which animal was there based on its bite mark.

🐾 With tracking tunnels I can do the same with footprints.

🥜 Chew cards and tracking tunnels both use peanut butter (everything likes peanut butter!)

🐦‍⬛ Binoculars to see birds, plus a few extra necessities.

Many people forget (or just never learned) that wild animals live on farming landscapes all over the world, which can benefit or damage crops depending on the species and context. This type of research is super important for soil health, and food production in the face of global changes.

Is this an aspect of agricultural research you hadn’t thought of?

It is just another an example of the huge variety of research and careers related to crop science, soil science, and agronomy. For more examples of research and career options around farmland, check out Dig In Do Good 🌾

#fieldwork #wildlife #agriculture #DigInDoGood #sponsored

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I started out volunteering in a plant molecular biology lab. As I met more researchers and learned about the different questions people were asking, I realized I was most excited by plant physiology and ecology. That curiosity eventually led me to study how trees respond to drought and fire as a PhD student.

My biggest piece of advice? To find out which experiences, classes, and skills you need, explore the wide variety of fields you could study! Learn about different careers/techniques, ask questions, and pay attention to what genuinely excites you. Some people really excel using tools outdoors; some enjoy intricate chemistry or computer modeling- but all of these skills can be used to answer questions about ecosystems, agriculture, and conservation.

I’m partnering with Dig In Do Good, a free resource that helps students explore careers in agronomy, crop, soil, and plant sciences. If you’re not sure where to start, their career quiz is a great way to see what areas might fit your interests.

#plantbiology #phdstudent #spon

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One man made such a difference in agriculture that North Carolina’s most popular sweetpotato variety was named after him.

Henry M. Covington’s legacy still impacts farmers today. Want to make your own mark on agriculture? Check out digindogood.com and see how you can make a difference and you can join me in digging in and doing good!

#DigInDoGood #Agriculture #Agronomy #Sweetpotatoes #farming

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You might think that farming and nature are inherently separate, but agroecological researchers are working behind the scenes for lots of the food we see every day to improve crop production, biodiversity support, soil health, economic and nutritional stability for communities, and landscape resilience.

Once you start learning about it, you’ll never be able to un-see it.

If you’re interested in learning more about the different types of research going on and their impacts on food systems and the planet, I recommend checking out Dig In Do Good. They have great resources and videos to help you explore fields and career paths associated with agronomy, crop sciences, soil sciences, academic research, regenerative agriculture, you name it. 🐾🌾

#scientist #agroecology #wildlife #DigInDoGood #sponsored

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The story of the American chestnut is an example of how many different scientific fields can come together to solve a real-world problem 🌰🌳

From genetics and forestry to microbiology and restoration ecology, scientists are exploring multiple ways to help restore this iconic tree species after chestnut blight nearly eliminated it from eastern U.S. forests.

One of my favorite things about plant science is that there are so many different ways to approach a question, whether you love working outdoors, in a lab, with technology, or with big-picture environmental challenges.

That’s why I’m excited to partner with Dig In Do Good to help students explore careers in agronomy, crop, soil, and plant sciences 🌱 if you are curious about working in plant and soil sciences, check out www.DigInDoGood.com

#PlantScience #Forestry #AmericanChestnut #STEMCareers #spon

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5 years ago I would have never guessed that I would be scouting fields in North Dakota. One of the COOLEST parts about agriculture is that everyone’s journey to it and through it looks different.

If you are trying to get started working in agriculture, check out @digindogood . They have a ton of resources to help you find potential career options, information about agriculture, and more!

I hope that in sharing my journey and resources with you, your unique story is able to keep unfolding and you find yourself in great places you would have never guessed to be :)

#sponsored #DigInDoGood #agronomy #agriculture #agwithemma

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I never told you this before… Someone in my lab thought I wouldn’t make it. If you feel that way about yourself right now, keep watching. You don’t need to have it figured out. You just need one reason to start digging. @DigInDoGood

share this video with a friend who needs to hear this

#DigInDoGood #ad #HouseOfSoil #womeninscience #WhatToStudy

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