European Geosciences Union
Division on Soil System Sciences
President: Heike Knicker
(Emailsss@egu.eu)
Deputy President: Daniel L. Evans
(Email)
ECS Representative: Beatrice Giannetta
(Emailecs-sss@egu.eu)
Soil is the interface between the crust and atmosphere, and is the basis of life on Earth. The impact of soil science to the society has probably never been as high as it is currently. The importance of soils in the Earth system must make us, the soil scientists, more noticeable at the EGU. The aim of the Division on Soil System Sciences (SSS) is to coordinate the EGU scientific programme on soil science and related activities. The SSS contributes actively with EGU by promoting scientific interchange and dissemination of activity carried out by members.
Amazing soil pictures? Are you a photo artist? Share your work at Imaggeo, the open-access image repository of European Geosciences Union.
The 2026 Alina Kabata-Pendias Medal is awarded to Bettina Weber for pioneering, interdisciplinary contributions to understanding cryptogamic communities and biocrusts, and their role in biogeochemical cycles, particularly in nitrogen cycle.
The 2026 Philippe Duchaufour Medal is awarded to Cornelia Rumpel for pioneering interdisciplinary research on soil organic matter and exceptional leadership advancing soil science through mentorship and global engagement.
The 2026 Division Outstanding Early Career Scientist Award is awarded to Layla Márquez San Emeterio for significantly advancing our understanding of the origin, turnover, and stabilization of soil organic matter in Mediterranean agroecosystems.
The 2025 Philippe Duchaufour Medal is awarded to Wulf Amelung for pioneering research in uncovering the mechanisms of soil degradation and efforts to restore soil functions, thereby enabling sustainable agriculture and land use.
The 2025 Division Outstanding Early Career Scientist Award is awarded to Katerina Georgiou for significant contributions to the understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of carbon cycling at a range of scales; from soil particle to field-scale, to global predictions.
The 2025 Outstanding Student and PhD candidate Presentation (OSPP) Award is awarded to Daniel Asiamah Aboagye Effect of Residue Application Methods and Long-Term No-Tillage Management on Residue Decomposition and Priming Effect in Japanese Andosol: Evidence from a Field Incubation Experiment
The 2025 Outstanding Student and PhD candidate Presentation (OSPP) Award is awarded to Kavindra Senaratna Characterizing Soil Respiration rates across different Land uses in a Tropical Urban Catchment
The 2025 Outstanding Student and PhD candidate Presentation (OSPP) Award is awarded to Martin-Georg Endress Exploring the energetics of soil microbial metabolism under substrate limitation
In our September issue, we ask whether our accelerating technological advancement is still serving science (and scientists), and hear from the incoming Early Career Scientist rep for the Geosciences Instrumentation and Data Systems (GI) Division Luigi Bianco. Don't miss your chance to register for one of our autumn workshops the Outreach Committee is seeking a consultant to help develop a mentoring programme.
All this and much more, in this month's Loupe!
Dear Colleagues,
Welcome to the September newsletter of the EGU Soil System Sciences Division! This month, we invite you to learn more about the workshop “Unearth Your Potential: Stakeholder Engagement and Soil Literacy”, have a look back at the 17th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, read a new SOIL paper, and learn more about the SSS Division through our Linkedin and Bluesky pages. Moreover, we also have some reminders to attend the World Food Forum Flagship Event, the NetworkNature Week 2026, and apply to be one of the Artists in Residence for EGU27.
Heike Knicker, Division President
Beatrice Giannetta, Perrine Florent, ECS Reps
Diana Vieira, Fatima Meite
The ECS Team