Deborah Neher
Professor, Dept. of Plant and Soil Science, University of Vermont
Deb is a soil ecologist and agroecologist with research interests in the use of nematodes and microarthropods as indicators of soil quality for environmental monitoring of terrestrial and wetland soil. She grew up on a family farm and feels a personal connection to the land. She was chair of the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at the University of Vermont for 14 years and remains on the faculty there, teaching plant science and soil ecology. Deb is active in numerous professional societies, including the Ecological Society of America. She is a former member of the board of directors for the Henry A. Wallace Institute for Alternative Agriculture and a current ad hoc reviewer for grant programs funded by National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Energy, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.