Von Liebig award 2014

Magdi Selim

Magdi Selim, professor of soil physics at Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, USA, received the Liebig Award of the IUSS at the World Congress of Soil Science in Jeju, South Korea, in June 2014.

This was the third presentation of the Liebig Award, established in 2006.

The award recognizes outstanding contributions in applied soil science research, contributing to new discoveries, techniques, inventions or materials that increase food security, improve environmental quality or conservation, land and water development, and other areas covered by the divisional structure of IUSS. Each award includes an engraved medal, a certificate, a US$ 1000 honorarium, and financial support to attend the presentation at the World Congress of Soil Science.

Magdi Selim was the recognized international authority on chemical sorption and transport in soils. He studied reactive chemicals and water flow in unsaturated and saturated soils and the chemical and physical processes governing the interactions and transport of solutes in the root zone.

He was the original developer of the two-site model, where two distinct types of retention sites on soil matrix surfaces are assumed to govern the reactivity of chemicals during transport in soils, and subsequent multi-reaction kinetic models. The models have been used successfully for the description of heavy metals, radio-nuclides, explosive contaminants, phosphorus, and pesticides in soils and subsurface media.

He has written two books and authored or co-authored over 250 publications. His academic background includes a Bachelor of Science degree in soil science from Alexandria University and master’s and doctoral degrees in soil physics from Iowa State University.