Thomas R. Fox named Soil Science Society of America Fellow
Thomas R. Fox of Christiansburg, Va., professor of forest soils and silviculture in the College of Natural Resources and Environment, has been named a Fellow by the Soil Science Society of America, a progressive scientific society dedicated to advancing the field of soil science.
Being chosen as a Fellow is the highest recognition bestowed by the organization; the honor is limited to only 0.3 percent of the society’s more than 6,000 members. Fellows have made outstanding contributions in an area of specialization such as research, teaching, or administration.
“I am truly honored to become a Fellow in the Soil Science Society of America,” said Fox. “It is especially gratifying to have my contributions to forest soil science recognized in this manner by my professional colleagues in the society.” He will be recognized during the society’s 2012 annual meeting in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Oct. 24.
Fox is the lead principal investigator for the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation’s $3.4 million portion of a $20 million grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture to study the effects of climate change on southern pine forests. In addition, he serves as the overall lead principal investigator for silvicultural research on the grant as well as the Integration Team Leader for mitigation. In this role, he helps coordinate and synthesize the work of the more than 29 scientists working on the project.
Fox, whose research in focuses on silviculture, forest soils and fertilization, tree nutrition, and the environmental sustainability of intensive forest management, was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship for research and teaching in Chile in the fall of 2010. Much of his work concentrates on meeting the needs of the forest industry in the United States and Latin America.
He serves as the co-director of the Forest Productivity Cooperative, a research partnership among Virginia Tech, North Carolina State University, and dozens of forest industry firms in the United States and South America. The cooperative integrates research, education, and technology transfer to provide solutions to enhance and sustain plantation forestry throughout the Americas.
Fox is also the Virginia Tech site director for the Center for Advanced Forestry Systems, a National Science Foundation Industry/University Cooperative Research Center that bridges top forestry research programs with industry members to solve complex, industry-wide problems.
He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Maine, his master’s degree from Virginia Tech, and his doctorate from the University of Florida.
Written by LauraBess Kenny of Richmond, Va., a junior majoring in communication in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.
