About the Candidate
Dr. Megan Bourns
Dr. Megan Bourns is an agronomist and researcher dedicated to helping farmers align productivity, profitability, and environmental stewardship goals. She is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, contributing to the national Fertilizer Recommendation Support Tool Project.
Megan earned her B.Sc. in Agronomy and M.Sc. in Soil Science from the University of Manitoba, where she developed a strong foundation in soil fertility and nutrient management. Following her M.Sc., she worked as an agronomist with the Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers, leading an on-farm, field-scale research program. During this time, she became a Certified Crop Advisor and developed a strong interest in applied research to support data-driven nutrient management decisions. Her work was complemented by extensive farmer-focused extension efforts.
She later pursued a Ph.D. in Agronomy at Kansas State University, where her research focused on phosphorus management strategies to better achieve both agronomic and environmental objectives. Alongside conducting adaptive research, she expanded her teaching experience, developing an appreciation for the role of dynamic, engaged learning in the classroom. Megan is committed to translating research into actionable, farm-ready solutions that sustainably improve productivity and profitability.
Seminar Details
TITLE:
Bridging Research & Reality:
Advancing nutrient management through adaptive science
Soil fertility and nutrient management are fundamental to agricultural productivity and sustainability. Effective nutrient management strategies ensure yield and profitability, while mitigating nutrient losses to the environment. However, there is often a disconnect between favorable nutrient management practices for the farm, from a productivity, profitability, or risk mitigation perspective, and those viewed as best for environmental protection. Bridging this gap requires innovative solutions that best manage conservation-production tradeoffs, to develop nutrient management options that are both effective and widely adoptable.
In this seminar, Dr. Megan Bourns will discuss how her hands-on experience in agronomy and extension shaped her research interests. She will share the unexpected findings from her soybean potassium fertility research that refined her adaptability as a scientist, and the role this played in success of her Ph.D. work on an alternative phosphorus management paradigm. Additionally, Megan will discuss her mentoring and teaching philosophy of “approachable challenge”, based on her own experiences as a student and mentee. Finally, she will outline her vision for an impactful, adaptable research, extension, and teaching program at Purdue, emphasizing collaboration and stakeholder engagement to drive innovation in soil fertility and nutrient management.
Group Meeting Schedule
Extension Faculty, Staff, & Stakeholders
1:15 - 2:15 PM | LILY 2-425
Research Faculty & Staff 3:15 - 4:15 PM | LILY 2-425