Jason P. de Koff, Ph.D.

Professor - Agronomy and Soil Science

SPECIALTY: Bioenergy Crop Production

COURSES I TEACH:

AGSC 5110听 Research Methods

AGSC听5180听 Soil Classification

ABOUT ME:

I joined the faculty at TSU in June 2010.听 I am currently working on developing an Extension and research program based around bioenergy crop production with specific interests in improving switchgrass yields and quality.听 In Extension, I am developing programs designed to provide producers with current information on the range of biofuel crops that exist as well as current practices for maximizing yields with the least environmental impacts.听

I have a B.S. in Chemistry with an Environmental Studies minor from Ithaca College that I received in 2000.

I have an M.S. in Soil and Water Sciences that I received in 2004 from UC Riverside.听 My thesis was focused on the effects of prescribed fires on sediment and soil nutrient erosion.听 I also worked on research at the Salton Sea focused on identifying the geochemistry of iron in the sediments.

I have a Ph.D. in Agronomy that I received in 2008 from Purdue University.听 My dissertation was focused on sustainable waste management.听 One project was focused on the reuse of waste foundry sand as part of a soil amendment.听 This waste is currently considered nonhazardous but is disposed of in U.S. landfills at a rate of 8-12 million tons per year.听 Another project focused on the study of compost maturity indices that are used to identify when the composting process is considered "finished".

I was a postdoctoral research associate for the USDA Agricultural Research Service from 2008 to 2010 where I worked on various research projects focused on the environmental effects of land application of municipal and agricultural waste products.


Cooperative Extension website

Graduate assistantship