USU's Helga Van Miegroet Named Soil Science Society of America Fellow

Utah State University soil scientist Helga Van Miegroet has been named a Soil Science Society of America Fellow. The honor is the highest recognition bestowed by the international society, which grants less than one percent of its members this designation.

Van Miegroet, professor in USU’s Department of Wildland Resources and the USU Ecology Center, will receive formal recognition at a ceremony during the society’s 2015 annual meeting in November in Minneapolis.

“Fellows are selected based on their professional achievements and meritorious service,” says Sara Uttech, SSSA senior manager of governance and membership.

“This is well-deserved recognition for Helga and a prestigious honor,” says Chris Luecke, dean of USU’s Quinney College of Natural Resources. “We celebrate with Helga and thank her for her contributions to the college.”

Van Miegroet is recognized as a pioneer in forest soil carbon and nutrient dynamics. A highly cited author, she has published nearly 100 professional papers.

The Belgium native, who joined USU in 1993, was previously employed as a scientist at Tennessee’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory. She says her involvement in SSSA convinced her of the power of mentorship.

“My former advisor at University of Washington, where I earned my doctorate, made a point of encouraging me to attend the society’s meetings, where I could network with professionals and present my research,” Van Miegroet says. “His efforts to include me gave me credibility and helped me form important collaborations.”

She provides similar support for her students.

“More than serving as an example of a consummate scientist, Helga encourages her students and early career scientists in the society to pursue careers in soil and natural resource science,” wrote Van Miegroet’s colleagues Jeff Hatten, Astrid Jacobson, Lucas Nave and Brian Strahm, who nominated her for the award. “She makes a concerted effort to meet, encourage, advise and, when possible, engage (young scientists) in collaborative research.”

USU alum Mercedes Román, who earned a doctorate from the Department of Wildland Resources in 2014, says Van Miegroet was an excellent advisor.

“She always sees the big picture and, seeing how passionate and enthusiastic she was about her research, motivated me to pursue a doctorate,” Román says. “When I felt low about my research, she encouraged me, assured me she believed in my potential and helped me work through obstacles.”

Hatten says Van Miegroet makes particular efforts to recruit and encourage underrepresented students and early careerists. For her efforts, she received the 2014 Women in Agronomy, Crops, Soils and Environmental Sciences Mentoring Award, a national honor jointly given by the SSSA, the American Society of Agronomy and the Crop Science Society of America.

At the pinnacle of her career, what is Van Miegroet is pursuing? Interestedly, she’s returned to school.

“I’m a master’s student in USU’s sociology program,” she says. “I’m exploring gender inequality in science.”

A step backward? Not at all. For Van Miegroet, it’s an important step forward and a time of revelation.

“For a long time, I believed I had total control of my professional destiny,” she says. “But I became aware of an implicit gender bias. Now, I want to understand societal mechanisms behind this bias.”

She credits her late father with encouraging her to explore big questions and to arm herself with knowledge — not solely emotion — in her academic quests.

“I used to be very angry when I encountered sexism, but my dad would have told me, ‘Stop whining and do something,’” Van Miegroet says. “So, that’s what I’m doing. I hope my experiences will benefit the next generation of women.”

Related links: