GIWS Researcher Receives CSSS Fellowship

Dr. Bing Si has been awarded a 2021 Fellowship from the Canadian Society of Soil Science. He is a member of the Global Institute for Water Security and a Professor in the Department of Soil Sience, College of Agriculture and Bioresrouces, University of Saskatchewan.

From the CSSS website:

2021 CSSS Fellow Award to Dr. Bing Si

Dr. Si obtained his B.Sc and M.Sc in China, and in 1998 he earned his Ph.D from the University of Guelph. He started his academic career at the University of Saskatchewan as Assistant Professor in 2000 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2005 and Professor in 2009. Over the past 21 years, Dr. Si made a significant and measurable impact in serving CSSS.

Dr. Si is recognized internationally for his contributions to soil physics and ecohydrology. Dr. Si is especially known for characterizing soil spatial variability at the landscape scale, unraveling the "hidden" ecohydrological function of deep soil, and revealing the "unseen" eco-pedological impact of minor textural contrasts in a soil profile. He developed the theoretical relationship between water-conducting soil macroporosity and infiltration rates. His research on soil thermal properties and their interactions with other soil properties and processes has improved the performance of land surface models. He pioneered quantification of ecohydrological processes in deep soil, the results of which are incorporated into the crop rotation planning by farmers and reforestation policies and practises in Canada and China. He has created a sub-field of soil science: quantifying scale-specific variability in the landscape to unravel the complex interaction of underlying soil processes. His findings on the impact of minor textural contrasts across a soil profile have been utilized by industries operating in Canada's oil sands to improve biodiversity and in-turn the success of post- mining reforestation, saving these companies millions of dollars.

Dr. Si is a popular and supportive supervisor, a mentor, and an extraordinary teacher to his students. Dr. Si is dedicated to student success and to 'soil'. Soil physics is often viewed as an intimidating subject. He makes his teaching approachable to many students through inclusion of conceptual models, lab experiences and field trips, photos and videos, in-class discussions and critical analysis of facts, myths, and misconceptions in soil science. Dr. Si has developed graduate courses based on current developments in soil science, such as a course in spatial statistics, and ecohydrology. Additionally, he has developed a joint-training program between China Scholarship Council and University of Saskatchewan. Dr. Si has trained a new generation of soil scientists who carry his legacy and expand their research programs in different corners of the world, advocating for Canadian soil science education. 15 of his PhDs and PDFs have secured positions in Canada, China, Japan, and New Zealand.

Dr. Si has been an Associate Editor for the Canadian Journal of Soil Science, and an editor for their special issues. He has co-authored publications sponsored by the CSSS and has contributed more than 20 papers to the Canadian Journal of Soil Science. Dr. Si has also served as an editor and associate editor for several international journals.

Dr. Si is one of those few soil scientists that make such a multifaceted contribution to our discipline. Dr. Si's deep commitment to research and teaching of soil science is an example of exemplary service and speaks of a broad and substantive contribution to the public.