Allen Torbert

Allen Torbert

  • Supervisory Soil Scientist, Research Leader
  • Department of Crop, Soil & Environmental Sciences
334-844-3979
torbeal@auburn.edu
411 S. Donahue Dr.
Google Scholar
AUSME research profile

Education

  • Ph.D. in Agronomy and SoilsUniversity of Illinois1989

  • M.S. in Agronomy and SoilsAuburn University1985

  • B.S. in Agronomy and SoilsAuburn University1983

Professional Experience

Positions Held
  • 2005 – present Research Leader, USDA-ARS Auburn, AL

  • 2001 – 2005 Soil Scientist, Lead Scientist – USDA, ARS Auburn, AL

  • 1992 – 2001 Soil Scientist, Lead Scientist – USDA, ARS Temple, TX

  • 1989 – 1992 Postdoc Research Associate -USDA, ARS Auburn, AL (Appointed Affiliate Faculty AU)

  • 1985 – 1989 Research Assistant – (appointed Affiliate Faculty AU Agronomy and Soils Dept.) University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL.

  • 1983 – 1985 Research Assistant- Auburn University, Auburn, AL

Honors and Awards

  • 2008 – Fellow of the American Society of Agronomy

  • 2009 – Fellow of the Soil Science Society of America

  • 2015 – American Coal Ash Association “Champion Award” (the highest honor of the organization)

  • 2023 – USDA ARS Southeast Area Senior Research Scientist of the Year

  • 2023 – ARS National Technology Transfer Award

  • 2023 – REE Under Secretary’s Award for outstanding technology transfer

  • 2023 – USDA Secretary’s Honor Award, (highest non-monetary recognition of Dept. of Agriculture)

  • 2024 – American Society of Agronomy – Environmental Quality Research

  • 2024 – Soil Science Society of America – Soil Science Applied Research

Professional Affiliations

  • American Assoc. for the Advan. of Science

  • American Society of Agronomy (Fellow)

  • Soil Science Society American (Fellow)

  • International Soil Tillage Research Organization

  • Soil and Water Conservation Society of America

Research

As ARS Research Leader, 2005 – present:
My assignment is that of a Supervisory Soil Scientist and Research Leader of the USDA, ARS National Soil Dynamics Laboratory, Auburn, AL. As the Research Leader, responsibilities include managing coordinating research programs for the laboratory which has the mission to develop technologies and strategies for managing soils that increase adoption of sustainable production/cropping systems, particularly conservation systems that reduce economic risk and farm production costs; improving soil quality and productivity; and relating agriculture to global change. Specific research focuses on improving methods for waste application to maximize plant nutrient use efficiencies, while minimizing pollution potential. Other important objectives of the research program are to develop conservation systems that reduce drought risk of cash crops, develop environmentally sound waste management systems, and determine the effects of atmospheric CO2 levels on above- and below ground processes that affect crop production, soil carbon storage and trace gas emissions.

Patents

  1. Kornecki, T.S., H.A. Torbert, S.A. Prior. July 8, 2014. Cover Crop Residue Manager. DN: 0024.11; SN: 13/048,362; Patent No.: 8,770,119.
  2. Torbert, H.A., D.B. Watts, J.W., Kloepper, P. Calvo, and R. Ames. Feb. 23, 2016. Methods of reducing nitrous oxide emissions from a plant growth substrate.  Patent No.: US 9,266,786 B2.
  3. Torbert, H.A., A. Kavetskiy, G.N. Yakubova, and S.A. Prior. Oct. 29, 2019.  Method and Systems for non-invasive measurement of soil Chlorine and/or nitrogen content and for detecting sub-surface chlorine or nitrogen-containing objects. DN: 0112.15 SN: 15/495,565; Patent No.: 10,458,930 B2.
  4. Torbert, H.A., A. Kavetskiy, G.N. Yakubova, and S.A. Prior. Aug. 25, 2020. Method and Systems for non-invasive measurement of soil chlorine and/or nitrogen content and for detecting sub-surface chlorine or nitrogen-containing objects. (Continuation) Patent No.: 10,753,891 DN: 0125.19 SN: 16/552,238.
  5. Chin, B.A., H.A. Torbert, G.N. Yakubova, A. Kavetskiy, and N. Sargsyan. July 26, 2022. Scanning Mode Application of Neutron-induced Gamma Analysis for Soil Carbon Mapping. Patent No.: 11,397,277 B2.
  6. Torbert, H.A., A. Kavetskiy, G.N. Yakubova, and S.A. Prior. Aug. 2, 2022. System and method of using energy correlated timing spectra to locate subsurface objects. Patent No.: 11,402,338 B2.
  7. Chin, B.A., H.A. Torbert, G.N. Yakubova, A. Kavetskiy, and N. Sargsyan. July 9, 2024. Scanning Mode Application of Neutron-induced Gamma Analysis for Soil Carbon Mapping: Continuation. U.S. Patent Application (Continuation) Patent No.: US 12,031,928 B2.