The 2018 Nobel Conference is titled “Living Soil: The Universe Underfoot”, with geology center stage! Laura is co-chairing the conference with Jim Dontje, the director of the Johnson Center for Environmental Innovation, and Julie and several GEO students are deeply involved in planning and hosting. We have a crazy-talented set of speakers who will address issues ranging from the tiniest scale — the incredible diversity of micro-organisms in soil, and what that means for human and ecosystem health — to the global scale — can soils really save the world from climate change? Dave Montgomery, a geologist from the University of Washington (and MacArthur “genius award” winner and popular author) is the lead-off speaker. Also, we’re offering something new this year, the “Soil Experience Zone” with booths, hands-on activities, AND tours of sites around campus where you can learn more about the soils of our area.
Ticket sales are already far ahead of recent years, so if you want to come in person — and it’s always better that way! — then buy your tickets SOON. There are discounts for those of you employed in the agriculture, soil and environmental fields, and there are also new group discounts for the general public being offered this year. High school students still get in free.