Dr. Gurpal Toor has been honored with the SSSA’s highest recognition for his excellence in soil science
Environmental Science & Technology professor and Extension specialist Gurpal Toor has been named a Fellow of the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA). The award is the highest recognition bestowed by the SSSA, and is presented to members who make outstanding contributions to soil science through education, national and international service, and research.
Toor is internationally recognized for his work on the fate and transport of nitrogen and phosphorus from land to water. With expertise in nutrient management, soil fertility, and water quality, Toor focuses his research and Extension on curbing the environmental impacts of farming and developing tools and innovative approaches to reduce nutrient pollution from agricultural land to waterways, such as the Chesapeake Bay.
Appointed by the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Agriculture to represent UMD on the state’s Phosphorus Management Tool Committee, Toor is conducting integrated research and Extension to reduce nutrient runoff from farmers' fields into surrounding waterways in Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay. His Extension program provides leadership to develop nutrient management recommendations and technical expertise to develop and implement science-based policies and programs to reduce nutrient losses to water bodies. He also served as an elected member of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Chesapeake Bay Program Agricultural Workgroup.
