Project Leader
Dr. Ekrem Ozlu (Özlü)
Assistant Professor and Extension Soil Management Specialist
Phone: +1 252 408 1613
Office: 131 Vernon G James Center
Ekrem completed his B.S. in Soil Science in the department of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey. He completed his M.S. in Applied Soil Physics in the department of Plant Sciences, South Dakota State University. He received his Ph.D. in Soil Physics and Management in department of Soil Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison. He worked for two years as postdoctoral research associate at Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center and W. K. Kellogg Biological Station, Michigan State University. He joined Vernon G James Research and Extension Center, Tidewater Research Station, and department of Crop and Soil Sciences, NC State University in 2022.
Current Program Members
Carlee Epting
Graduate (M.S.) Research Assistant
Carlee is originally from West Columbia, South Carolina. She attended the University of North Carolina at Pembroke where she received her Bachelors of Science in Environmental Science in 2022. Her undergraduate research was focused on micro-plastics in the Lumber River located in Pembroke, NC. Now Carlee attends North Carolina State University where she is working towards her Masters of Science in Soil Science. Carlee joined Soil Management Program in spring 2023. Her research focuses on combining conservative management practices in order to increase soil health and overall crop yield.
Alam Ramirez Reyes
Graduate (Ph.D.) Research Assistant
Alam got his B.S. in agronomy and M.S. in soil science from Iowa State University (ISU). His M.S. research focused on compaction on different landscape position. Before coming to North Carolina He was on staff at ISU and predominantly worked on how conservation tillage impacts ecosystems services (yield and greenhouse gas emissions). Alam joined Soil Management Program in Summer 2023 and currently working on soil compaction related issues in 3 different regions of NC.
Jerad Carter
Field Technician
jccarte6@ncsu.edu
Jerad started working at the Vernon James Center in January 2024 as a Field Technician. He is responsible for helping with Field and Research work as well as making sure that daily needs of the department are met while learning about Soil Sciences.
Ozlem Ustundag
Visiting Scholar
Ozlem Ustundag received her Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Engineering, completed her Master’s and Ph.D. in Soil Science in Turkey. Her expertise lies in soil chemistry and biochemistry. During her Ph.D., she focused on the use of biochar as an adsorbent and its agricultural applications. She worked as a research assistant at Namık Kemal University for four years and at Aydın Adnan Menderes University for ten years. Since July 2024, she has been a visiting researcher at the Department of Crop and Soil Science at NC State University.
Alumni
Shardendu Singh, Research and Extension Associate
Morgan Barnes, Temporarily Field Technician
Shruthy Suresh Kumar, Temporarily Technician
Christopher Parker, Technician