The ENST Professor was recognized for his work to improve soil health and food production, particularly in Africa
Dr. Ray Weil working in Ethiopia
Image Credit: Edwin Remsberg
FoodShot Global named Ray Weil one of three 2022 GroundBreaker Prize winners, awarding him $240,000 for his work at the intersection of bioactive foods, precision protein, and soil innovations to improve human nutrition.
Weil, a professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Technology is a global leader in soil science. He has made numerous contributions to the understanding of nutrient cycling, soil organic matter and ecological approaches to soil management, soil health and water quality. With this award, FoodShot Global recognizes Weil’s research on the connection between soil sulfur and key amino acids that affect the growth and protein content of crops, especially in Africa.
“I'm humbled and excited to have been awarded the FoodShoot Global Groundbreaker prize. It really feels like a validation of my life's work to improve agriculture for farmers, eaters, and the planet,” said Weil. “The substantial prize money is also very welcome as it will enable me to pursue a line of work that seems to always fall through the cracks between most sources of food system research funds. Of all the fertilizer elements, sulfur is almost always ignored and forgotten. Yet it is crucial to building the amino acids that people need for healthful, nutritious plant-based protein.”
