I am a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, specializing in various aspects of soil health. Our team, in collaboration with colleagues and partners, has achieved several milestones in soil health research. We have pioneered the concept of the Soil Health Gap, which serves as a benchmark for soil health studies and has been referenced in numerous policies and publications. Additionally, we have developed a novel land classification unit called the Cropland Reference Ecological Unit. This system divides land into homogenous units based on soil and climate, enabling unbiased soil health comparisons. We have also examined producers' needs, challenges, and motivations for adopting soil health practices. Our study has been cited in a US congressional hearing memo, emphasizing the improvement and adoption of soil health management strategies. We have extensively used metagenomic approaches to study the microbial ecology of Himalayan potable spring water, hot springs, soil, and plant tissues. These research helped determine the role of microbes in nutrient cycling, environmental processes, and human health. To learn more about my research, please visit: https://tinyurl.com/2kefsbp