Environmental science: A new opportunity for soil science

During the golden era of soil science--from the 1950s to the 1980s--the mai n focus of this discipline was on the role of soil in production agricultur e. More recently, renewed interest in the area of environmental science has offered new opportunities to soil scientists. Thus, many soil scientists a re now working in areas such as bioremediation, waste recycling, and/or con taminant transport. Environmental science has, therefore, not only changed the traditional research role of soil scientists at land grant institutions but has also influenced student enrollment, the traditional soil science c urriculum, and faculty recruitment. These changes require a new breed of so il scientist, one with a background not only in soil science but also in ot her areas of environmental science as well.