IUSS Alert 3 (July 2005)
IUSS Alert contains information for prompt distribution amongst the global soil science community. If there is information that you would like to have included please send it to: and and we'll include it in the next IUSS Alert.
Jeff Sachs keynote speaker at 18th World Congress of Soil Science
Jeffrey D. Sachs is the Director of The Earth Institute, and Professor of Sustainable Development, and Health Policy and Management at Columbia University. He is also Director of the UN Millennium Project and Special Advisor to United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan on the Millennium Development Goals. Sachs is internationally renowned for advising governments in Latin America, Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, Asia and Africa on economic reforms and for his work with international agencies to promote poverty reduction, disease control, and debt reduction of poor countries. He was recently named among the 100 most influential leaders in the world by Time Magazine. He is author of hundreds of scholarly articles and many books. His most recent book is: The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time.
Reports from the Millennium project can be downloaded here including the report 'Halving hunger: it can be done' authored by Pedro Sanchez and M.S. Swaminathan.
Fellowship applications for the 18th World Congress of Soil Science
Limited funds have been budgeted to support registration waivers ($550) and to provide housing (maximum $650) at the University of Pennsylvania for selected participants from Group II and Group III countries. Travel funds are not available. Applications must be received by November 1, 2005. More information click here
New Working Groups: Digital Soil Mapping & Hydropedology
Two new IUSS working groups have been formed: Digital Soil Mapping and Hydropedology. To read about Digital Soil Mapping check their website here. Newsletter of the Hydropedology Working Group is available on the IUSS website, click here - their website will be in the air soon.
Election Division and Commission officers
If you would like to nominate yourself or a colleague for the election of Division or Commission officer please send an e-mail to Stephen Nortcliff at
Nominations close very soon!
Any composers and text writers out there?
For the 2006 World Congress of Soil Science we would like to launch a soils anthem - a song about soils, its users and about soil science and soil scientists. We need lyrics and music. Anyone interested to write the IUSS soils song please contact Eternal fame may fall on you.
Year of Planet Earth Brochure
The brochure 'Soil - Earth's Living Skin' can be downloaded from the IUSS website here 3500 copies of this brochure will be printed and distributed.
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