Bagley doctoral student earns first place at SSSA competition
January 10, 2017
STARKVILLE, Miss. – A Bagley College of Engineering doctoral student recently took home top honors in an international research competition hosted by the Soil Science Society of America.
Juan Pérez-Gutiérrez earned a first-place finish in the Graduate Student Poster Awards category of the SSSA’s Soil and Water Management and Conservation (SAWMAC) division.
Juan Pérez-Gutiérrez earned a first-place finish in the Graduate Student Poster Awards category of the SSSA’s Soil and Water Management and Conservation (SAWMAC) division. The winning submission earned him a $250 prize and recognition during the organization’s recent annual meeting in Phoenix, Arizona.
“I’m honored to have won this award on behalf of the team to which I belong,” said Pérez-Gutiérrez. “For me, it means the team involved in this research is doing an outstanding job, and that the research we are conducting is of high relevance to our field.”
Pérez-Gutiérrez’s research, entitled “Water Quality Investigations of On-farm Water Storage Systems in Mississippi: Lessons Learned and Future Directions,” explores the potential detriment that fertilizer overuse can have on aquatic ecosystems and how to better manage agricultural ecosystems while preserving the natural cycle of water nutrients. The project, directed by Mississippi State associate professor Joel Paz, is funded by USDA-NIFA’s Integrated Water Quality Program.
The international award adds to an impressive list of accomplishments by Pérez-Gutiérrez, who achieved a number one rank during his master’s program at The University of Los Andes in Colombia. Pérez-Gutiérrez is encouraged by the latest honor from SAWMAC as he looks forward to his post-doctoral career as a researcher and professor.
“This recognition motivates me to work even harder as a researcher to find solutions to problems affecting the environment,” said Pérez-Gutiérrez. “I am hopeful that my work will make a big difference in the field of research I pursue.”
The SAWMAC division of SSSA works to improve both soil and water conservation efforts through research, student education and technology.
For more information on the Soil Science Society of America, visit soils.org.
The Bagley College of Engineering is online at bagley.msstate.edu. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram by searching for @msuengineering.
By: Amanda Meeler