Invited Speakers

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    • Joann Whalen

    McGill University

    Title：Rhizobiome Partners to Optimize Nutrient Transfers from Soil to Plants

    Biography:

    Prof. Joann Whalen (Canada) holds a James McGill Professor research chair at McGill University, where she is a Full Professor. She is an Affiliate Professor at the Center for Sustainable Soil Sciences of the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Morocco.

    Prof. Whalen has a B.Sc. (Agr.) from Dalhousie University, an M.Sc. from McGill University and received her Ph.D. from Ohio State University (USA) in 1998. She is a professional agronomist in Québec, Canada, and has been named a “Fellow” of the Soil Science Society of America and the Canadian Society of Soil Science. Her research covers soil biology, soil health and agricultural nutrient management.

    Prof. Whalen was President of the Canadian Society of Soil Science (2016-2018) and President of the American Society of Agronomy (2022-2024). As Executive Director of the Global Phosphorus Institute (2023-2024), she has been invited to speak on soil fertility and land use management at the 2024 Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit in Nairobi, Kenya and at the 2024 Global Partnership on Nutrient Management organized by the United Nations Environment Programme.

    Currently, Prof. Whalen serves on the Consortium Steering Committee/ Technical Support Committee for the Coordination of the Regional Hub for Fertilizer and Soil Health for West Africa and the Sahel (2024-2027).

    Prof. Whalen teaches soil nutrient management, soil ecology, environmental soil chemistry and continuing education modules about the management of soil carbon stocks. With her graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and research collaborators, she has published 310 peer-reviewed scientific articles with an h-index of 68. She is an Editor-in-Chief for Soil Biology and Biochemistry. She also serves on the editorial boards of Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems, Soil Ecology Letters and PNAS Nexus. Her career is motivated by the intricacies of using and managing soil to achieve sustainable and resilient agriculture, for healthy people on a healthy planet.