A team from the Central Coast is one of the best in the nation when it comes to identifying, evaluating, classifying, and describing different types of soil. Yes, it’s an actual thing.
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo has its football, basketball, and baseball teams, but thanks to a recent competition in Oklahoma, it also has the number two team in the nation for soil identification.
"So, my friends are like...'You're going where for spring break? Oklahoma? For what? Soil Judging? Oh...that's really nice...we're going to Cabo,' " joked Sarah Solis, who is a member of Cal Poly’s Soil Judging Team.
The ten person team won second place at the National College Soils Contest at Oklahoma State University.
"I think that once you talk about soil...and anyone on the team can talk about soil....you won't stop," said Solis. "I think that's what at the end of the day that drives all of us...the passion behind it. But, my friends are like, 'She's a nerd!' "
The competition is a fun way for students to learn about, and test their skills in the key field of soil science. The technology is used for everything from agriculture to road construction. The competitors are going to be among the next crop of experts in the science of assessing soil.
Dr. Gordon Rees is an Associate Professor of Soil Sciences at Cal Poly. He teaches soil science classes, and also coaches the team. He talks about the concept of soil science. "Looking at what's there...how do we use it, and how have we used it, and what can we do to better use it in the future," said Dr. Rees.
The team members are students interested in working in the field of soil science,
Andrew Litto is a fourth-year Environmental earth and Soil Sciences major.
"I think the thing that fascinates me the most is how variable it is, and how you can pretty much do a fourth year degree and still not cover all there is to cover about soil," said Litto.
Solis is another Environmental Earth and Soil Sciences major. She says you don’t need elaborate lab tests to identify and evaluate soils, and that knowledge is the key.
While you probably have never heard of Cal Poly’s Soil Judging Team, it’s been around for more than half a century. But, this year’s second place finish in the nationals is its best showing in decades.
Still, Professor Dr. Gordon Rees admits the team is still little known outside of Cal Poly’s Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences Department.
"My students always talk about this," said Dr. Rees. "They say I'm going to Oklahoma for soil judging, and their families and friends are confused. And, so we've all kind of trained ourselves to give the two-sentence description of what a soil judging contest is. You know when you tell someone what you're doing, the follow up question is 'What on earth is that'?
