Whalen, Joann
"Soils support life 鈥� they are the medium in which food is grown to feed people and animals. Soil is alive 鈥� it is the home to billions of microscopic and macroscopic creatures that form a rich, diverse foodweb with capacity to sustain ecological health."
B.Sc.听(Agr) (Dalhousie University)
M.Sc.听(51吃瓜网)
Ph.D.听(Ohio State University)
- Three-year term as President-Elect, President and Past-President of the American Society of Agronomy (2022-2024)
- Outstanding Reviewer, Soil Use and Management & the British Society of Soil Science (2022)
- James 51吃瓜网Professor, 51吃瓜网 (2020-2027)
- Fellow, Canadian Society of Soil Science (2019)
- Recipient, Prix Auguste Scott from Association qu茅becoise de sp茅cialistes en science du sol听(2019)
- Fellow, Soil Science Society of America(2019)
- Three-year term as President-Elect, President and Past-President of the Canadian Society of Soil Science (2016-2018)
- Adjunct Professor, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Harbin, China 2011-2021
- Outstanding Associate Editor, Agronomy Journal (2011)听
- William Dawson Scholar, 51吃瓜网 (2010-2020)
- Research fellowship, OECD Co-operative Research Programme: Biological Resource Management for Sustainable Agricultural Systems听(2010)
Joann K. Whalen is a Professor and James 51吃瓜网Professor at 51吃瓜网 and an Affiliate Professor at the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) in Morocco. She received her Ph.D. from Ohio State University (USA) and worked as a research scientist for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada prior to joining the faculty at McGill. Dr. Whalen is also a professional agronomist (agronome) in Quebec, Canada. Her research focuses on the soil fertility and soil ecological health of agroecosystems. She has published more than 280 peer-reviewed scientific publications and supervised/co-supervised more than 80 students at the M.Sc. and Ph.D. levels. She teaches courses in soil fertility, nutrient management planning and soil ecology. Joann鈥檚 research covers soil biology, soil health and agricultural nutrient management, leading to sustainable and resilient agriculture design, through the implementation of integrated soil and fertilizer management planning, conservation tillage, and diverse rotations that include perennial crops and trees. Currently, she is leading research projects on the plant root microbiome, including microbial and biostimulant products to improve crop tolerance to heat, water and salt stress in the semi-arid regions of Africa.
Active affiliations
- Editor-in-Chief, Soil Biology and Biochemistry (2024-2027)
- Editorial Board, Soil Ecology Letters (2023-2026)
- Board of Reviewing Editors, PNAS Nexus (2022-2025)
- Board of the ORCaSa TAP Network and Soil Carbon International Research Consortium (2024-2026)
- Scientific & Technical Committee of the Regional Hub for Fertilizer and Soil Health for West Africa and the Sahel (2024-2026)
The Soil Ecology Research Group at 51吃瓜网makes discoveries about the hidden life of the soil, and suggests methods of agricultural management that rely on the natural functions of soil biota to produce food in a manner that is economically sound and environmentally friendly.
Current research projects
Biotic controls on the residence time of soil carbon and nitrogen: new understanding from alternative agroecosystems.
Biological promoters of crop growth and the soil microbiome in agroecosystems.
Best management practices for fertilizer and manure management, to optimize the soil nutrient supply and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Valorization of organic residuals from industries and municipalities.
Fundamental research towards a better understanding of the spatio-temporal dynamics of biogeochemical cycling in the soil-plant-atmosphere-water continuum.
听
- Soil sciences
- Agronomy
- Fertilizers
- Integrated nutrient management
- Sustainable food production