Department of Integrated Science and Technology (ISAT)

Education

• Ph.D. Cornell University: Agroforestry, Soil Science and International Agriculture
• M.S., Cornell University, Natural Resources
• MTS Gordon-Conwell, Church History
• B.S. Seattle Pacific University, Chemistry

Experience

• 9 years in Sudan, Kenya and Mozambique with the Mennonite Central Committee primarily working on agroforestry projects with an emphasis on small, subsistence farming systems.
• teaching at Eastern Mennonite University focusing on environment and development in situations of conflict.
• working with Virginia Save Our Streams on water monitoring and water quality issues.
• 12 years + on the Board of the Pure Water Forum in the Shenandoah Valley

Research Interests

• Agroforestry – worked on identifying and developing information on trees useful for agroforestry primarily in Kenya, but with additional experience in 5 other countries.  Results of this work are found at http://agroforesttrees.cisat.jmu.edu/
• Biochar – This is in essence using charcoal as a soils amendment to improve soil fertility and sequester carbon.  Research on this topic is expanding rapidly.  I started doing research on this with students in the ISAT Program in 2007.
• Permaculture – These ideas were originally developed by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren in Australia and have now become the most common way of improving local, small scale agriculture.
• Water – In the Shenandoah Valley this issue relates to nutrient pollution from agriculture.  In Africa issues focus on availability and sanitation.  I am interested in looking at both.