CSSS 2024 Ivarson Soil Science Scholarship Award – Dillon Muldoon
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Dillon Muldoon Trent University |
2024 CSSS Ivarson Soil Science Scholarship Award to Dillon Muldoon
Dillon Brian Muldoon is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Environmental and Life Sciences (EnLS) program at Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario (Canada). His research interests include soil health, soil microbial ecology, and carbon dynamics with an emphasis on improving Canadian agroecosystem sustainability. He received his B.Sc. in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems from Trent University (2017) and his M.Sc. in Environmental Sciences from the University of Guelph (2020). Before returning for his Ph.D., Dillon worked for the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario (EFAO) as the Research and Soil Health Program Manager focusing on farmer-led research and soil education. Before his time with the EFAO, he worked at Lakehead University Agricultural Research Sation, managing small plot variety and production trials for grain, oilseed, pulse, and forage crops in northwestern Ontario.
Dillon’s Ph.D. research aims to improve our understanding of the mechanisms of microbially-mediated soil organic carbon cycling in agricultural soils. Using a combination of field and laboratory experiments employing molecular and biogeochemical methods, Dillon seeks to investigate the impacts of soil texture and cover crop species and functional diversity on microbial community composition and soil carbon partitioning.
In addition to research, Dillon enjoys being an active member of his community. He currently serves as the Treasurer for the EnLS Graduate Society and coaches the Trent University Varsity Women’s Curling team, as well as previously serving in several graduate student government positions within the Ontario Agricultural College at the University of Guelph, and a variety of other activities within in the community.
After the completion of his Ph.D. Dillon hopes to pursue a research and teaching career within academia or government. The importance of knowledge transfer and translation has been a key pillar throughout his work and educational journey and he hopes to increase community engagement and outreach around soil science and agroecosystem health as his career progresses.