Inna Popova, assistant professor in the UW-Madison Department of Soil Science, is the inaugural Leo M. Walsh Faculty Fellow. The appointment starts on July 1 and runs for five years.
Popova, who joined UW in October 2022, focuses on environmental soil chemistry. The goal of her research program is to understand the impact of synthetic chemicals on natural and agricultural ecosystems, including legacy contaminants as well as emerging contaminants such as pharmaceuticals in soils of urban and agricultural areas. Her innovative programs investigate how soils adapt to contaminant pressure.
Leo M. Walsh, dean emeritus of the UW-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, established the award. Walsh joined the Department of Soil Science in 1959, where his research and extension career focused on soil fertility and soil chemistry. He served as chair of the department from 1973-1979, until becoming dean of CALS in 1979.
With this new fellowship, Walsh aims to recognize and reward promising young faculty in the Department of Soil Science, and provide financial support that will enable them to explore their new ideas and do the foundational research needed to receive competitive grant funding.
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