Dr. KATHRYN Vanderburg

Faculty

Purdue Global University / Unity Environmental University / West Texas A&M University

State: TX

(w) (832) 221-3703

About

Kathryn Vanderburg holds Doctorate of Philosophy from Texas Tech University. She is currently a full-time faculty for Purdue University Global campus supporting their new Environmental Sustainability program. She is also an adjunct faculty teaching various subjects in biology, plant sciences, animal nutrition, and ecology for West Texas A&M University and Unity Environmental University. Her research embodies a full systems approach to sustainable agricultural systems focusing on environmental health and increased food security. Her dissertation was funded by various USDA and SSARE grants and was titled; "Effect of the Inclusion of Legumes Within Perennial Grasses on Water Footprint, Economic Value, and Methane Emission." Her dissertation included results of this research on soil health, which was an extension of the results of her master's research, which was published in Rangeland Ecology and Management (Vanderburg, Kathryn, T.J. Steffens, D.G. Lust, M.B. Rhoades, B.C. Blaser, K. Peters, and M.J. Ham. 2020. Trampling and cover effects on soil compaction and seedling establishment in reseeded pasturelands over time. Rangeland Ecology & Management). This extended research project on soil health in no-till systems was also funded by SSARE. Her future research interests include focusing on the water and carbon footprints of agriculture in the Texas High Plains ecoregion. The aim is to continue to perform systems approach research to enhance sustainability, profitability, and productivity while Earths population continues to rise and projected to hit 10 billion people within the next few decades. She wants to continue to work closely with producers by implementing planned grazing and plantings, where producers can monitor management outcomes to improve and meet production and economic goals while working in tandem with the environment. Further, she enjoys teaching ecology and environmental science to the young and working minds of the future of our society to hopefully inspire and create thoughtful and mindful citizens. She wants to provide them with the tools to help them navigate through adulthood, creating a fulfilling life, while impacting the world.