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Dr Damien Field

Summary

I am interested in pursuing research to the benefit of agriculture and its sorrounding ecosystems. I believe that this is possilbe by integrating good science that is also sympathetic to the values, attitudes and actions of the sommunity that depend on a healthy agrarian society. I also value education and believe that the link between good research and teaching can be achieved by promoting an environment where students can actively engage with real world issues and problems.

Research interests

I am interested in research that questions how various soil functions affect and support both agriculture and the surrounding environment. To achieve this I have worked with a variety of colleagues both within and outside of the University to develop protocols to assessing soil functions such as; soil structural stability, the intrinsic energy involved in soil aggregation, and the relationships between soil structure, soil carbon and soil biology. This is achieved by using fundamental scientific research combined with developing practical procedures that are of interest to growers and land managers. I believe the use of good science for the benefit of the broader community is essential and keenly pursue ways to do this.

I also have a strong interest developing the Faculty’s teaching and learning curriculum, both at the undergraduate and postgraduate level, informed by my mapping and embedding of the student graduate attributes and domain (discipline) knowledge. This has been supported by a number of small and large teaching research grants resulting in a number of innovative teaching and learning activities. I am currently co-leading an Australian Learning and Teaching Council Grant towards developing a national curriculum for soil science with 5 of Australia's leading Universities

Background

Damien’s career began with completing Bachelor of Science majoring in soil science and a PhD concentrating on soil structure affected by cotton production. He was appointed as a research fellow for the Australian Cotton CRC working on analytical methods developed for Decision Support Systems used in the cotton industry. He then took on the role of the Coordinator of Laboratory and Field Work teaching at the University of Sydney before accepting his current responsibility as the Associate Dean, Postgraduate Studies, for this Faculty.

While in this role Damien has completed a Master of Education (Higher Education). Using this and his experiences in teaching Damien consistantly works with colleagues to develop innovative and exciting teaching and learning activities for both undergraduate and postgraduate students. He has recieved competative grants to develop new apporaches to eduction including developing a national curriculum for soil science.

Working with colleagues he has supervised both undergraduate and postgraduate students’ research in areas such as: soil structure and function, soil carbon dynamics and soil biology, the interface between applied soil physics and agronomy and land use rehabilitation, and archaeology.

Recent publications

  • Field D. J., Koppi A. J., McBratney A., 2010 Producing the thinking soil scientist. 19th World Congress of Soil Science, Brisbane, Australia.
  • Koppi A. J., Nolan E., Field D. J., 2010 Developing transferable research skills in first year agricultural economics students. Journal of University Learning and Teaching (in press).
  • Zhu Z., Field D. J., Minasny B., 2010 Measuring and medlling the actual energy involved in aggregate breakdown. Catena, 82, 53-60
  • Zhu z., Minansy b., Field D. J., 2009 Adaping technology for measuring soil aggregate dispersive energy using ultrasoinc dispersion. Biosystems Enginering, 104, 258-265.
  • Zhu Z., Minasny B., Field D. J., 2009 Measurement of aggregate bond energy using ultrasonic dispersion. European Journal of Soil Science, 60 695-705.
  • Malamoud K., McBratney A. B., Minasny B., Field D. J., 2009. Modelling how carbon affects soil structure. Geoderma, 149 19-26
  • Conaty W. C., Tan D. K. Y., Constable G. A., Sutton B. G., Field D. J., Mamun E. A., 2008. Genetic Variation for the Waterlogging Tolerance in Cotton. Journal Of Cotton Science, 12 53-61.
  • Field, D. J., Minasny, B. 2008. Comments on “Modeling Energy Inputs to Predict Pedogenic Environments using Regional Environmental Databases”. Soil Science Society of America Journal 72. 858-859.
  • Minasny, B. McBratney, A. B., Field, D. J., Tranter, G., McKenzie, N. & Brough D. M. 2007. Relationship between field texture and particle size distribution in Australia and their implications. Australian Journal of Soil Research. 45 428-437.
  • Field, D. J., Minasny, B., & Gaggin, M., 2006. Modelling aggregate liberation and dispersion of three soil types exposed to ultrasonic agitation. Australian Journal of Soil Research, 44, 497-502.
  • Minasny, B., & Field, D. J., 2005. Estimating soil hydraulic properties and their uncertainty: the use of staochastic simulation in the inverse modelling of the evaporation method. Geoderma, 126, 277-290
  • Field, D. J., Sullivan, L. A., Cattle, S. R., & Koppi, A. J. 2004. Comparison of four methods for liberating various aggregate fractions in Vertiosols to study their morphology. Australian Journal of Soil Research. 42, 29-37
  • Field, D. J., & Minsany, B. 1999. A description of aggregate liberation and dispersion in A horizons of Australian Vertisols by ultrasonic agitation. Geoderma, 91, 11-26
  • Field, D. J., McKenzie, D. C., & Koppi, A. J. 1997. Development of an improved stability test for SOILpak. Australian Journal of Soil Research, 35, 843-52
  • Koppi, A. J., Edis, R., Field, D. J., Geering, H. R., Klessa, D. A., & Cockayne, J. H. 1996. Rare earth element trends and cerium-uranium-manganese associations in weathered rock from Koongarra, Northern Territory, Australia. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 60, 1695-1707

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