Society elected leadership and ACSESS staff volunteer at Red Butte Garden and Arboretum during CANVAS 2025.
October 6, 2026

Why serve as a Society leader?

Questions and answers with Sara Uttech, Director of Governance

If you have ever wanted to make an impact on our Societies, all while networking within your scientific discipline, consider reading on—CSA News magazine recently sat down with Director of Governance Sara Uttech to provide some insight into why someone might want to serve as an elected leader with the Societies.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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Aaron Lee M. Daigh, President, Soil Science Society of America
September 30, 2026

Meet your new working groups: The first Grassroots Awards

Born from member proposals and backed by Society support, four new SSSA Grassroots Working Groups are ready to make an impact. Their efforts span classrooms, campuses, communities, and field sites, all with a shared goal: building a stronger and more connected future for soil science.

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Photo courtesy of Shutterstock/Rawpixel.com.
September 28, 2026

Barriers to being involved in DEI efforts amid recent policy changes

Scientific progress depends on people sharing ideas, asking questions, and contributing their expertise. This article explores the barriers that can discourage participation in DEI-related activities and highlights practical ways professional societies can make engagement more accessible and welcoming.
Graduate students from the University of Wisconsin–Madison (UW–Madison) visiting Society headquarters. From l to r: Arik Waldinger, Annelies Quinton, Ava Beyers, Matteo Franke, Connor Kasper, Chenchen Deng. Not photographed: Brittany Juneau and Michal Laszkiewicz. Photo courtesy of Susan Chapman.
September 25, 2026

From asphalt to ecosystem: Spatial data creates a story

In a previous issue of CSA News, we described a new initiative to evaluate the ASA, CSSA, and SSSA headquarters using soil and environmental health parameters. Here, we have a brief update about how the project has progressed since the initial soil health assessment, with an interactive, narrative-rich StoryMap.  

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Our Down to Earth section publishes food, farming, and environmental concepts and research in language that is easy to understand by all, including those without formal scientific training. Visit us each week as we continue to add more sections and content.

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