What if we could reverse climate change, increase biodiversity and feed everyone? Does that sound like a win-win-win scenario for people and the planet? Join Dr Samantha Grover as she explores the possibilities of soil carbon. From microbial processes to global policy settings, she will discuss how carbon moves from the atmosphere into soils, how land management can increase or decrease the stores of carbon in our soils and how we, as food consumers, can adjust the settings in our food systems to help achieve net zero emissions in our lifetimes.

With examples from the Soil-Atmosphere-Anthroposphere Lab’s research, we will virtually visit Melbourne backyards, Australian agricultural landscapes, Victoria’s beloved Alpine National Park and our northern neighbour Indonesia’s high carbon peat soils, shining a light on the fascinating secrets of soil carbon underground.

About the Speaker

Dr Samantha Grover is a soil scientist and lecturer at RMIT University. She leads the Soil-Atmosphere-Anthroposphere Lab, whose research explores the connections between soils, climate change and people.

As a soil scientist, she applies techniques from soil physics, soil chemistry and soil microbiology with micrometeorology to explore the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum. She collaborates with economists, social scientists and policy analysts, as well as other biological and physical scientists, to generate whole-of-system knowledge. Through her interdisciplinary work, university teaching, public engagement as a Superstar of STEM, Victorian President of Soil Science Australia, various Board and Committee roles and a growing media profile, Samantha communicates her research to create impact. As we enter the United Nations Decade of Ecosystem Restoration, she aspires to make a nationally and internationally significant contribution to reversing climate change and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

A part of the RSV’s 2020 contribution to the Inspiring Victoria program. In light of COVID-19 restrictions, this meeting will be conducted online as a Zoom webinar, with the presentations pre-filmed and our speakers answering questions from RSV members in the webinar (invitations to register are sent to members via email and are also listed on the Society’s membership page). The webinar will also be livestreamed via the Society’s Facebook site – please tune in at the allotted time to follow the proceedings and contribute your questions and comments.