What’s New? Congratulations to new IUSS Officers! The results of the election for IUSS division and commission officers for the period 2010-2014 have been announced. Congratulations to all, especially the new U.S. officers: 1.4 Soil Classification, Chair, J. Galbraith 1.5 Pedometrics, Vice Chair, A.-Xing Zhu 2.2 Soil Chemistry, Chair, J. Chorover 2.4 Soil Mineralogy, Chair, D. Hesterberg Division 4 Chair, C. Rice 4.2 Soils, Food Security and Human Health, Chair, I. Pepper 4.5 History, Philosophy and Sociology of Soil Science, Chair, Ed Landa Complete results can be found at www.iuss.org, click on “IUSS People.” Bring a Child to Work Day 2008: Ready, Set, SCIENCE! The National Academies’ annual Bring a Child to Work Day held April 24, 2008, featured a variety of interactive science activities that were meant to introduce children to the work of the NAS. BISO led a workshop that introduced the students to soil science. Read more… International Year of Planet Earth The Global Launch event for the International Year of Planet Earth (IYPE) was held at UNESCO on February 12-13, 2008. Declared by the United Nations in December 2006, the year is being celebrated 2007-2009 by the international geoscience unions, including IUSS. Brochures on the various scientific themes, including soil, are on the IYPE website. Dig It! The Secrets of Soil The Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) has collaborated with the Smithsonian Institution to develop a soils exhibit at the National Museum of Natural History, opening July 19, 2008. Learn more about the project or make a contribution. Contact Us USNC/SS Board on International Scientific Organizations The National Academies 500 Fifth Street NW Washington, DC 20001 Tel: 202-334-2807 Fax: 202-334-2231 Ester Sztein, Program Officer Makeeya Hazelton, Program Associate		Who We Are… The U.S. National Committee for Soil Science (USNC/SS) represents the interests of the U.S. soil science community in the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS), a scientific union member of the International Council for Science (ICSU). List of committee members. The USNC/SS provides leadership in the advancement of soil science nationally and internationally. The USNC/SS Interacts with the broader scientific community to identify emerging needs and opportunities for soil science; Identifies innovative solutions to solve environmental and societal problems; Advocates soil science education to provide a sustainable pool of expertise in the discipline; Promotes the public understanding of the critical role soils play in society and the environment; and Leads U.S. participation in the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) and international collaboration in soil science research.			Upcoming Events Soil: Sustaining Life on Planet Earth July 18, 2008, Washington, DC The USNC/SS and the Soil Science Society of America are co-sponsoring a symposium at the National Academy of Sciences in celebration of the opening of the Smithsonian Institution’s “Dig It! The Secrets of Soil” exhibit the following day. Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting Celebrating the International Year of Planet Earth October 5-9, 2008, Houston, Texas A joint meeting of the Geological Society of America (GSA), the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA), and several other societies. 19th World Congress of Soil Science August 1-6, 2010, Brisbane, Australia Register your interest in the congress and receive updates at www.19wcss.org.au. For a more complete list of soil science meetings, see www.iuss.org, click on “Upcoming Meetings.” Recent Events AAAS Symposium on IYPE The four USNCs for Earth Sciences co-sponsored “Planet Earth: Lessons Ignored, Lessons Learned,” a symposium on the 2008 IYPE, during the AAAS Annual Meeting in Boston, MA on 15 February 2008. Resources International Visitors Office Scientists, engineers, researchers, and students traveling to the United States for professional activities can obtain information from the International Visitors Office, a program operated by the Board on International Scientific Organizations (BISO). Free Access to National Academies Reports for People in Less Affluent Countries For more information and for a list of eligible countries, please see http://www.nap.edu/info/faq_dc_pdf.html Soil Science Networking The United States Consortium of Soil Science Associations (USCSSA) endeavors to link academic, professional, and regional soil science associations. Sponsor Support for the USNC/SS is provided by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. GEO-0701397
			International Union of Soil Sciences
		The IUSS is the global union of soil scientists. The objectives of the IUSS are to promote all branches of soil science, and to support all soil scientists across the world in the pursuit of their activities. IUSS Divisions and Commissions Are you interested in learning more about what IUSS does? Get involved in the scientific commissions. For descriptions of IUSS divisions and commissions and a list of current officers, please see IUSS website. IUSS Bulletins IUSS Bulletin 112 (April 2008) is now available at the IUSS website as a PDF file. First published in 1952 as the ISSS Bulletin, all past Bulletins have been scanned and are now online as PDF files. Go to www.iuss.org and click on IUSS Bulletins. IUSS Alerts IUSS sends out monthly emails containing topical information for and from the soil science community. Alerts can be found at www.iuss.org – click on IUSS Alerts – where you may also sign up to receive the monthly emails.
Revised 23 June 2008