The SMART Soils project is led by Professor Karen Johnson from the Engineering Department.
She is an environmental engineer with a passion for soil. The ethos behind her work centres on putting soil at the heart of a circular economy and involves using sustainable soil improvement technologies to enhance soil functions like flood and drought resilience as well improving the nutrition of our crops.
She works on understanding the role of mineral-organic interactions in supporting the soil microbiome and maintaining and enhancing soil health through carbon storage and pollutant immobilisation.
Professor Karen Johnson - Staff Profile
Dr Chivasa is a co-Lead in SMART soils, carrying out groundbreaking work outlining the importance of the soil microbiome in turning on and off some plant genes that help with drought resistance.
Much of my expertise is in cell communication in multicellular organisms, and how they synchronise their responses to internal and external growth & developmental cues. Cell-to-cell communication is essential in adaptive responses to both biotic and abiotic stresses, such as drought which is caused by climate change.
I am leading work in Zimbabwe to rebuild soils using soil and plant technologies, and I’ve had several appearances on national radio and television promoting Durham's rebuilding soils work in this area.
Dr Stephen Chivasa - Staff Profile
Professor Tiago Moreira leads the SMART Soils research in the Sociology department.
He developed, and leads, the Health and Social Theory Group in the Department of Sociology.
His research interests include aging, technology ad society, knowledge and organisation of healthcare, Aging, Technology and Society, priority setting in healthcare and social studies of medicine.
Professor Tiago Moreira - Staff Profile
