PI : Dr. Felipe Aburto 

Dr. Felipe Aburto is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences at Texas A&M University (TAMU) and Principal Investigator of the PSB lab. His program in Pedology and Soil Biogeochemistry at TAMU seeks to advance our pedological knowledge and disentangle the complex relationships between land use change and other anthropic stressor in soil forming process and functions. He joined Texas A&M in October of 2021 and also hold an Adjunct Professor appointment at the Department of Territorial Planning and Urban Systems at the Universidad de Concepción since 2022.  He graduated as Agriculture Engineer from the Universidad de Chile. He was awarded a Fulbright BIO scholarship to pursue his graduate education in the USA. He obtained his MSc. and Ph.D. in Soil Science and Biogeochemistry at the Universidad de California, Davis.  His research interest encompasses a range of topics including studying the effects forest use intensification, degradation and restoration on biogeochemical soil function, soil functional reconstruction, mineral weathering processes across a wide range of ecosystems. His program is also exploring the potential of enhance weathering applications to sequester carbon and as a source of nutrients for plants.  

Current PSB TAMU Members

 Deepa Khadka (Doctoral Student) '26
Deepa is a Doctoral student in Soil Sciences at the Soil and Crop Sciences Department at Texas A&M. Deepa is originally from Nepal. She completed her undergrad studies in Forestry at the Agriculture and Forestry University of Nepal. She is a recipient of the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship (2019-2021). She participated in M.Sc. in Sustainable Forest and Nature Management (SUFONAMA) at The University of Copenhagen in Denmark and the University of Gottingen in Germany. Her MSc. research focused on the evaluation of soil health in different land-uses (LUC) i.e., agroforestry and natural forest ecosystems. 
​Deepa's research focuses on the effect of agriculture intensification on mineral weathering and the use of rock powder in agricultural and forest soils for carbon capture through enhanced weathering and as nutrient amendment. 
Here is a picture of Deepa at the Rhein fall at Switzerland. 
 Alejandro Atenas (Doctoral Student) '26
Alejandro is a Doctoral student in Soil Sciences at the Soil and Crop Sciences Department at Texas A&M University. Alejandro is originally from Chile, where he completed his bachelor in Plant Biotechnology Sciences and a professional degree as Plant Biotechnology Engineer. He later completed a MSc. in Forest Sciences at a the Universidad of Concepcion. His MSc. research thesis investigate the effect of deciduous forest degradation  on soil biogeochemical pools, soil enzymes activities and microbial communities. His current dissertation research focus on understanding carbon cycling in natural broadleaf and coniferous planted forest using radiocarbon tools and studying carbon incorporation into aggregates into deep soil compartments. Here is a picture of Alejandro in a Soil Pit near Woodward Oklahoma during the 2022 Regional Soil Judging Contest.
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S'vani Campos (MS Student) ' 25
 I am a first-generation student and a  Texas native. I am finishing my degree in Plant and Soil Sciences at Sam Houston State University (B.S.), where I fell in love with the intricate and abundant world of soils. I recently started a research internship under Dr. Aburto and I will start as Master student in Soil Sciences in the fall of 2023.  My research project looks at the changes induced by fire ants invasions in soil biogeochemical nutrient, carbon and water cycling.  
I believe that learning more about soil biogeochemistry processes is fundamental for our future on Earth. In my spare time, I am usually in a garden somewhere or any place with lots of cool trees!
 Jonathan Kerman (MS Student) '25
I am a recent graduate of Kean University. I am joining Texas A&M University in the fall of 2023 for a Master's in Soil Sciences. I grew up in Cranford, New Jersey, and began my environmental studies in high school at Union County Vocational Technical School in Scotch Plains, where I got involved in a research project focused on aerobic food composting and partnered with Kean University. My undergraduate work at Kean included research on biochar remediation effects on traditional potted plants and hydroponic systems and life cycle analysis on hydroponic farming techniques. Outside of school, I am a lab technician at a geotechnical engineering lab, specializing in conducting tests on soil's physical and chemical properties. My hobbies include playing guitar, hiking, and fitness. 
 At TAMU, I will be working on studying early soil development in a recently reclaimed and revegetated fly-ash landfill in Chile under the supervision of Dr. Aburto. 
Hossein Talebi-Khievi (Doctoral Student) '27
 I am from Khiav, a city in the Azerbaijan province of Iran. I did my bachelor's in Soil Science at the University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, and I completed my Master's degree in Soil Resources Management - Land Evaluation at Tarbiat Modares University. After graduating I got involved in different projects related to soil conservation. I enjoy analyzing soil behavior against environmental changes, and today, it is my honor to be working as a Research Assistant in Prof. Aburto's group.  My dissertation project aims to identify and detect changes in soil properties as a result of urbanization using mid-Infra red spectroscopy in Houston. Let's soil live!! 
 Naadeesha Mahamarakkala Patabendige Dias (Doctoral Student) '27
 Nadeesha joined as a Ph.D. student in Soil Science in the fall of 2024. Her dissertation work look at the effect of long term agricultural intensification on soil mineralogy and applications of rock powders  for C-capture and nutrient supply through enhanced weathering. 
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Undergraduate PSB's members

Meghan Nolan
I'm from Wichita Falls, Texas, and I am a biological and agricultural engineering student at Texas A&M. I'm currently working for Dr. Aburto as a student research assistant, where I have gained experience working in both the field and lab. After graduation, I hope to work in soil conservation. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, gardening, and basically doing anything outside!
Jan Stadler Kirsten 
​Howdy, I’m Stadler Kirsten, a Plant and Environmental Soil Science major class of 2025.
I became interested in soils after learning about how they support everything around us. For me it's amazing to think that every nutrient in your body originally came from the soil.

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Thomas Valdez
Howdy! I’m Thomas Valdes. I am an environmental plant and soil science major at Texas A&M. I was born and raised in Houston and from a young age I was fond of experimenting with growing plants and digging holes. To me there’s nothing quite like putting your hands in soil and running your fingers through leaves. Someday I hope to work on maximizing the efficiency and care taken toward the soils of the world. 

Former PSB TAMU Members

Amy Crook
Amy Crook was a lab member in 2022-2023 and a graduate from the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Class of 2023. Sha majored in Environmental Geosciences with a minor in GIS. She is a second generation Aggie from the great state of Texas. As a former member of the Soil Judging Team she represented TAMU in two regional and one national contests.   She likes soils because they provide so much information on the environment around us from the past and present. In her past time, enjoys photography, fishing, and spending time with friends. She is currently working in environmental consulting and remediation.
Here’s a picture of her at the top of the Guadalupe Mountains, the highest point in Texas.
  • Kasey Andrew (Bioenvironmental Sciences, TAMU)
  • Sara Quintanilla (Horticulture Sciences Major)

Visiting Scholars

Dr. Francisco Najera 
Postdoctoral researcher University of La Frontera, Chile.  During Dr. Najera's his visit  we will evaluate the distribution of soil POM and MAOM and the sources of the organic matter components. We will also quantify the relative proportion of plant-derived carbon associated with POM and MAOM fractions incorporated into living microbial biomass and microbial necromass, determined using a thermogravimetry coupled to a Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer.

Current and Past Committee member
​(co-advised @ TAMU) 

  • Maliha Momtaj, M.S. Soil Science [Co-Chair].
  • Kassun Pathirage, M.S. Agronomy [Co-Chair].
  • ​Benju Baniya, Ph.D. Ecology & Conservation Biology [Member].
  • Ashley N. Voight, M.S. Biological and Agriculture Engineering [Member]. Completed 2024
  • Malik Nkrumah, Program: Ph.D., Major: Ecology and Conservation Biology [Member]
  • Jyoti Verma, M.S. Degree: MS, Major:  Turf Sciences [Role: Member]
  • Achla Om Prakas, Program: Ph.D., Major: Biological and Agriculture Engineering [Role: Member]
  • Bismark Osei, Program: MS, Major: Soil Science [Role: Member] Completed 2023
  • Katherine Quiñonez, Program: Ph.D., Major: Soil Science [Role: Member]
  • ​Nicholas Bentley, Program: Ph.D., Major: Anthropology [Role: Member]

Former Graduates and Postdocs (@UdeC)

Pamela Castillo (Postdoctoral researcher)
Pamela is a geologist from the Universidad de Concepcion and a Dr. of Geology from the Universidad de Chile. Her doctoral dissertation focused on the lithological controls on the biogeochemistry of vineyards, following the continuum from water, soil, plant to the grape. She is currently working as Postdoc in the PCI MPG 190022 project led by Dr. Aburto.  In this project she is investigating the biogeochemical alteration and mineralogical changes that occur as result of native forest substitution by pine plantations. 
Fernanda Albornoz (Postdoctoral researcher)
Fernanda is a chemist from the Universidad de Santiago. Her doctoral dissertation look into the speciation of arsenic with iron oxides in volcanic soils. In 2020 she obtained a FONDECYT postdoctoral scholarship to work with Dr. Aburto on a project looking into biogeochemical and mineralogical changes across an extreme chrono-sequence in the coastal range of Chile nested in the Earthshape Consortium. She was recently awarded one of the ANID Academic Startup Program grants to join as faculty at the Universidad de la Frontera. 
Paula Gatica (Postdoctoral researcher)
Dra. Paula Gatica is a biologist and a Dr. in Forest Sciences from the Universidad de Concepcion. Her work focuses on assessing the efficacy of ecological restoration in forests ecosystems to recover functionality.  She is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Foresta Nativa Initiative. She worked with Dr. Aburto on establishing and evaluating soil ecosystem recovery metrics for sites reforested and ecosystem under restoration activities in southern Chile. 
Fabiola Leal (MS. Forest Sciences)
Fabiola is a Natural Resource Conservation Engineer and worked with Dr. Aburto towards her Master degree in Forest Sciences at Universidad de Concepción. Her research look into the effect of forest degradation on litter dynamics and changes in forest litter's mesofauna diversity. She currently works at Foresta Nativa Initiative as research coordinator. 
Natalia Aguilera (MS Forest Sciences)
Natalia worked with Dr. Aburto towards her Master degree in Forest Sciences at Universidad de Concepción. Her research project focus on exploring the effect of co-cultivation of tree species with different nutrient acquisition strategies in soil nutrient stoichiometry in post fire soils. 
Alejandro Atenas (MS Forest Sciences)
​Alejandro is a Plant Biotechnology Engineer and under Dr. Aburto to obtain his Master in Science degree in Forest Sciences at Universidad de Concepción. His master thesis project researched on the effect of forest degradation in soil deep biogeochemical pools , enzyme activity and microbial diversity. He also workes as lab manager at LISAB at UDEC He is currently at TAMU working towards his Ph.D.
Oscar Crovo (MS Forest Sciences)
Oscar is a Natural Resource Conservation Engineer and a MSc. in Forest Sciences from the University of Concepcion. His thesis looked into the alteration on C, N and P cycling as a result of native forest conversion into exotic pine plantations. He is currently working as Foresta Nativa as Technical Coordinator of the Bocamina Project. 

Former Graduate Thesis/Dissertation Committee Member

  • Antonio Bartolomé Escandon (Dr. in Biological Sciences, University of Concepción)  - ECOPHYSIOLOGY OF ROOT SUCKERING OF TWO TEMPERATE RAINFOREST TREES CONTRASTING IN THEIR SHADE TOLERANCE
  • Pamela Castillo (Dr. in Geological Sciences, University of Chile) - Biogeochemistry of the Rock-Soil-Water system in four vineyards of central chile (33-36˚S): lithogenic, pedogenic and atrophic influences.
  • Javier Ignacio Rivera Briones (MS. In Engineering Sciences, Catholic University of Chile)- PREDICTING SOIL AGGREGATE STABILITY USING READILY AVAILABLE SOIL PROPERTIES AND MACHINE LEARNING TECHNIQUES
  • Maria Paz Lagos Avid (Ms. In Engineering Sciences, Catholic University of Chile) - Predicting the particle size distribution of eroded sediment using artificial neural networks
  • Camilo Navarro (MS. in Forest Sciences, University of Concepción) -  Forest structure characterized by LiDAR allows determining the abundance of cavity nesting birds in mixed Nothofagus forests of Central-South Chile 
  • Natalia Navarro (MS. in Forest Sciences, University of Concepción) - Water and nutrient addition effects on the growth and gas exchange of Quillaja Saponaria Molina. 

Former Undergraduate Thesis Mentees (@UdeC)

  • Francisco Salazar (Natural Resource Conservation Engineer)
  • Oscar Crovo (Natural Resource Conservation Engineer)
  • Francisco Montecino (Natural Resource Conservation Engineer)
  • Natalia Aguilera Rojas (Natural Resource Conservation Engineer)
  • Santiago Contreras (Natural Resource Conservation Engineer)
  • Christian Torres (Forest Engineer)
  • Natividad Olmos de Aguilera (Natural Resource Conservation Engineer)
  • Camila Chaparro (Natural Resource Conservation Engineer)
  • Enzo Alvares Lara (Plant Biotechnology) 
We are always looking for highly motivated researchers or students to join our team. Check in the news section for open positions or contact Dr. Aburto directly.