Rate My Professor Paul Nelson

Professor Paul Nelson is a soil scientist at James Cook University, where he holds a promotional chair as Professor in the College of Science and Engineering, within the Earth and Environmental Science team. He earned his PhD in Soil Science from the University of Adelaide in 1997. His career spans diverse roles in agricultural and environmental research. Beginning as a Technical Officer at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in 1991 and Research Officer at INRA in 1991-1992, he completed his PhD candidature from 1993 to 1996. Subsequently, he served as Research Officer at BSES/CRC Sugar from 1997 to 1999, Research Scientist at CSIRO from 1999 to 2001, and Senior Agronomist at the PNG Oil Palm Research Association from 2001 to 2003. From 2004 to 2009, he was Senior Scientist at 50% time with the Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines and Lecturer/Senior Lecturer at 50% time at James Cook University. Since 2010, he has been full-time at James Cook University, progressing from Senior Lecturer to Professor.

Paul Nelson's research focuses on how human management and natural processes influence the sustainability and environmental impacts of tropical agriculture, including soil condition, productivity, water quality, and greenhouse gas emissions. Key interests include carbon sequestration in agricultural soils through enhanced rock weathering, effects of management practices on soil biota, rangeland management impacts on soil functions, and modelling of soil biogeochemical processes and crop systems. He has authored several books, such as Nutritional Status of Cocoa in Papua New Guinea (2011), Environmental Sustainability of Oil Palm Cultivation in Papua New Guinea (2010), and Diagnosis and Management of Sodic Soils under Sugarcane (2001). Notable journal publications include In-field Carbon Dioxide Removal via Weathering of Crushed Basalt Applied to Acidic Tropical Agricultural Soil (2024, Science of the Total Environment), Carbon Dioxide Removal via Weathering of Sugarcane Mill Ash under Different Soil Conditions (2024, Applied Geochemistry), and Farming with Crops and Rocks to Address Global Climate, Food and Soil Security (2018, Nature Plants). His work has garnered over 8,000 citations, reflecting significant impact in soil science and sustainable agriculture.