Gary Pierzynski is a Professor of Soil Science in the department of Horticulture and Crop Science at The Ohio State University (OSU). He served as Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education, and Director of the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station, for the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at OSU from 2018 until 2026.  

Gary received his BS and MS in Crop and Soil Sciences from Michigan State University and his PhD in soil chemistry from OSU. 

Prior to coming to Ohio, Gary was at Kansas State University (KSU) where he served on the faculty in a teaching and research role earning the title of University Distinguished Professor. He was a Co-PI on the US Agency for International Development Feed the Future Sustainable Intensification Innovation Lab.  Gary has published more than 85 refereed papers and three books, including the successful textbook Soils and Environmental Quality.

Gary has served as Head of the Department of Agronomy and Interim Dean and Director for the College of Agriculture at KSU. Other leadership roles include Editor for the Journal of Environmental Quality and President of the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA), the American Society of Agronomy (ASA), and the International Society of Trace Element Biogeochemistry.  He was the US representative on the FAO Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils.  He is a Fellow of the ASA and the SSSA, has received the Soil Science Education Award and the Marion and Chrystie Jackson Soil Science Award from the SSSA, the Commerce Bank Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching, and the Distinguished Service Award from the ASA.  He has given more than 50 invited presentations around the world.  

Credentials:

PhD Soil Chemistry - The Ohio State University (1989)

MS Environmental Chemistry - Michigan State University (1985)

BS Crop and Soil Science - Michigan State University (1982)