Neal Menzies (born 7 December 1959) is an Australian

professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an academic rank at universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who professes". Professors ...

soil science Soil science is the study of soil as a natural resource on the surface of the Earth including soil formation, classification and mapping; physical, chemical, biological, and fertility properties of soils; and these properties in relation to th ...

Griffith University Griffith University is a public research university in South East Queensland on the east coast of Australia. Formally founded in 1971, Griffith opened its doors in 1975, introducing Australia's first degrees in environmental science and Asian ...

. In his early adult years, he completed a bachelor of agricultural science (hons) in 1985, a master of agricultural studies in 1987, and a PhD in 1992. Menzies has worked for the

International Institute of Tropical Agriculture The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is a nonprofit organization that works with partners to enhance crop quality and productivity, reduce producer and consumer risks, and generate wealth from agriculture, with the ultimate ...

(IITA) in

Cameroon Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...

, the Newcastle University (Newcastle upon Tyne) in

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

, the University of Queensland, and Griffith University in Australia (where he is currently Pro Vice Chancellor (Sciences)

Academic career

As of October 2022, Neal Menzies had published more than 300 articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals. and had a

h-index The ''h''-index is an author-level metric that measures both the productivity and citation impact of the publications, initially used for an individual scientist or scholar. The ''h''-index correlates with obvious success indicators such as ...

of 53. In 2011 Menzies was appointed Dean of Agriculture and Head of the School of Agriculture and Food Sciences in the University of Queensland. In 2016 he was elected President of the Australian Council of Deans of Agriculture for a two-year term. Menzies has served as secretary, vice-president and president of the

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...

branch of the Australian Society of Soil Science Inc. (ASSSI), and vice-president and president of the federal ASSSI branch. In addition, from 2006 to 2010, Menzies was elected as vice-president of the

International Union of Soil Sciences The International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS), founded in 1924 under the name ''International Society of Soil Science'', is a scientific union and member of the International Council for Science (ICSU). The Union has 86 national and regional m ...

(a union representing approximately 55,000 soil scientists internationally). In September 2022 he was appointed Pro Vice Chancellor (Sciences) in Griffith University. Menzies is a member of the New South Wales Independent Planning Commission, where he chairs the Mining and Petrolium Gateway Panel. Menzies has helped attract more than $100,000,000 of research funding since joining the University of Queensland in 1994. He was also a program leader in the Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CRC-CARE), Associate Editor of the Journal of Environmental Quality, and vice-chair of the organizing committee (and chair of the scientific committee) for the 19th World Congress of Soil Science (WCSS) held in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia in 2010. His current research focuses largely on the

phytotoxicity Phytotoxicity describes any adverse effects on plant growth, physiology, or metabolism caused by a chemical substance, such as high levels of fertilizers, herbicides, heavy metals, or nanoparticles. General phytotoxic effects include altered plan ...

of trace metals in soil solutions, giving particular consideration to

aluminium Aluminium (aluminum in American and Canadian English) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. Aluminium has a density lower than those of other common metals, at approximately one third that of steel. I ...

and other trace metals such as

lead Lead is a chemical element with the symbol Pb (from the Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a heavy metal that is denser than most common materials. Lead is soft and malleable, and also has a relatively low melting point. When freshly cu ...

copper Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from la, cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkis ...

zinc Zinc is a chemical element with the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. Zinc is a slightly brittle metal at room temperature and has a shiny-greyish appearance when oxidation is removed. It is the first element in group 12 (IIB) of the periodi ...

, and

nickel Nickel is a chemical element with symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel is a hard and ductile transition metal. Pure nickel is chemically reactive but large pieces are slow ...

. Professor Menzies was one of the first soil scientists to examine the impact of amendments such as

agricultural lime Agricultural lime, also called aglime, agricultural limestone, garden lime or liming, is a soil additive made from pulverized limestone or chalk. The primary active component is calcium carbonate. Additional chemicals vary depending on the mineral ...

and

gypsum Gypsum is a soft sulfate mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate, with the chemical formula . It is widely mined and is used as a fertilizer and as the main constituent in many forms of plaster, blackboard or sidewalk chalk, and drywal ...

on soil solution composition and soil chemical fertility. Since this time, much his research has focused on the development of novel

plant nutrition Plant nutrition is the study of the chemical elements and compounds necessary for plant growth and reproduction, plant metabolism and their external supply. In its absence the plant is unable to complete a normal life cycle, or that the element i ...

technologies, with a focus on improving plant growth and

food production The food industry is a complex, global network of diverse businesses that supplies most of the food consumed by the world's population. The food industry today has become highly diversified, with manufacturing ranging from small, traditiona ...

South Asia South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth descr ...

. His key research colleagues in the University of Queensland Soil Science group include Dr J Bernard Wehr, Dr Peng Wang and Dr Peter Kopittke.

Selected bibliography

*Guppy C N, Menzies N W, Moody P W, Blamey F P C 2005 Competetive reactions between phosphorus and organic matter in soil: a review. Soil Research 43, 189-202. *Kopittke P M, Asher C J, Blamey F P C, Auchterlonie G J, Guo Y N and Menzies N W 2008 Localization and chemical speciation of Pb in roots of signal grass (''Brachiaria decumbens'') and Rhodes grass (''Chloris gayana''). Environmental Science and Technology 42, 4595–4599. *Kopittke P M, Dart P J and Menzies N W 2007 Toxic effects of low concentrations of Cu on nodulation of Cowpea (''Vigna unguiculata''). Environmental Pollution 145, 309–315. *Menzies N W, Donn M J and Kopittke P M 2007 Evaluation of extractants for estimation of the phytoavailable trace metals in soils. Environmental Pollution 145, 121–130. *Kopittke P M, Menzies N W and Blamey F P C 2004 Rhizotoxicity of aluminate and polycationic aluminium at high pH. Plant and Soil 266, 177–186. *Menzies N W, Bell L C and Edwards D G 1994 Exchange and solution phase chemistry of acid, highly weathered soils. I. Characteristics of soils and the effects of lime and gypsum amendments. Australian Journal of Soil Research 32: 251–267. *Menzies N W, Bell L C and Edwards D G 1994 Exchange and solution phase chemistry of acid, highly weathered soils. II. Investigation of mechanisms controlling Al release into solution. Australian Journal of Soil Research 32, 269–283. *Menzies N W, Bell L C and Edwards D G 1991 Characteristics of membrane filters in relation to aluminium studies in soil solutions and natural waters. Journal of Soil Science 42 585–597.Digital object identifier - Eur J Soil Science, Volume 42 Issue 4 Page 585-597, December 1991 (Article Abstract)
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Awards

*Award for Excellence in Research, School of Land and Food Sciences, the University of Queensland, 2006 *Award for Outstanding Achievement in Collaborative R&D, Australian Business and Higher Education Roundtable, 2002 *Publication Medal, Australian Society of Soil Science Incorporated, 1989 *Edwin Munro Scholarship in Agricultural Science, the University of Queensland, 1986 *Bell Medal, Australian Institute of Agricultural Science, 1985

Notes

External links

IUSS Official WebsiteASSSI Official WebsiteJournal of Environmental Quality
{{DEFAULTSORT:Menzies, Neal 1959 births University of Queensland faculty Living people Australian soil scientists

Academic career

Selected bibliography

Awards

See also

Notes

External links