Dr Charles (Chuck) Rice is a Professor of Soil Microbiology in the Department of Agronomy at Kansas State University. He earned his degrees from Northern Illinois
University and the University of Kentucky. He teaches courses in soil microbiology and conducts research on microbial ecology and soil carbon and nitrogen transformations include C and N emissions, in agricultural and grassland ecosystems. He has advised 14 M.S. students, 16 Ph.D. students, and 7 post-doctorates. He has over 100 publications. He has been elected fellow of the Soil Science Society of America, America Society of Agronomy, and the American Association for the Advancement of the Sciences.
Dr Rice was appointed to the National Academy of Sciences National Research Council to serve on the US National Committee for Soil Science. He was also appointed to the United Nations Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change Working Group III. He serves as one of the lead authors for the Fourth Assessment Report on the scientific, technical, environmental, and economic and social aspects of mitigation of climate change. He was the Elected Chair of IUSS Commission 4.2 Soils, Food Security and Human Health International Union of Soil Science, 2002-2006; 2006-2010, and the Elected Chair S-3 Soil Biology and Biochemistry of the Soil Science Society of America, 1996-1997. He was responsible for coordinating the 10-institution Consortium on Agricultural Soils Mitigation of Greenhouse Gases (CASMGS). CASMGS is a $15 million program to provide research and outreach on the potential of agriculture to conserve soil carbon. Dr Rice has been instrumental in providing information to policy makers and press. He was also responsibility for coordinating the CASMGS research with similar organizations in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Brazil, and was appointed by US Secretary of Agriculture to serve on the Agricultural Air Quality Task force 2006-2008.
Dr Rice has the following long-term research interests: 1) soil organic matter dynamics in agricultural and grassland ecosystems; and 2) soil nitrogen transformations, particularly denitrification, and N mineralization. He has worked in reclamation of surface mined lands, N cycling in no-till soils, denitrification, N mineralization, soil organic matter, waste application to soil, effects of elevated CO2 on soil C and N, C and N cycling in grasslands, and soil and water quality. One area of emphasis is soil organic matter dynamics in agricultural and grassland ecosystems. This research of soil organic matter is currently relevant to the potential of soils to sequester atmospheric carbon dioxide. Dr Rice gained a reputation as an effective communicator of scientific issues to the general public and to the legislative process. The PBS television program entitled Last Stand of the Tallgrass Prairie featured 20 minutes on the soil and included comments by myself. I have given testimony to Congressional staff and committees on numerous occasions and has appeared on C-SPAN. He provided input on farm and energy bills and his research has led to implications on policy that could lead to improved soil quality and mitigating climate change. He has tried to build international collaboration and IUSS and Division 4 provide a unique role in making soil science relevant to society and thus increasing the statue around the world.