The Rhizosphere Dynamics Lab Team
CHRISTINE SPRUNGER, PhD
Principal Investigator
Dr. Christine Sprunger joined the School of Environment and Natural Resources at The Ohio State University as an Assistant Professor of Soil Science and Rhizosphere Processes in the fall of 2018. Her research focuses on the intersection of agriculture and the environment, where she investigates how climate change impacts crop production, nutrient cycling and rhizosphere dynamics. In addition, much of Christine’s work addresses how crop diversity, perenniality, and reduced tillage contribute to important ecosystem services such as soil carbon sequestration and nitrogen use. Christine also conducts interdisciplinary research with social scientists to understand farmer perceptions of soil health and climate adaptation.
MEREDITH MANN, BA
Lab Manager
Meredith joined the Rhizosphere Dynamics Lab in the beginning of September 2019, after working for The Ohio State University's Soil Fertility Lab since 2017. As lab manager, she will be overseeing lab operations and analyses, coordinating field research trials across Ohio, and facilitating graduate and undergraduate research. Meredith is a northeast Ohio native with a B.A. in Geology from the College of Wooster. She enjoys working with the environment and in her free time can be found hiking, reading, and tending sheep.
TVISHA MARTIN, BS
TVISHA MARTIN, MS
Graduate Student
Tvisha Martin obtained her B.S. in Biological Sciences from the University of Toledo in May, 2019. She joins the Sprunger Lab as a Master's student and will be studying the effects of tillage and crop rotation on nitrogen allocation and rhizosphere dynamics in OSU's legacy experimental site: The Triplett and Van Doren Long-term Tillage Research Plots in Wooster, OH. Tvisha's research interests include soil fertility, nitrogen and carbon dynamics, food security, rhizosphere ecology, preventative practices for nutrient run-off, and soil science extension and outreach efforts. In her free time, Tvisha enjoys running, hiking, and reading a good book.
PRABHJOT SINGH, BA
Graduate Student
Prabhjot (Prabu) Singh graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College in June of 2019 with her Bachelor of Arts degree in Art and Biology. Prabhjot joined the Sprunger Lab in the Fall of 2019 and completed her Masters degree in the Environmental Science Graduate Program at OSU in the Summer of 2021. Her research explores both quantitative and qualitative data to understand the existing state of soil health on farms in the Midwest and how farmers may perceive or use biological soil health data to inform their management practices. As she continues with the Sprunger Lab for her Ph.D., Prabu is interested in using interdisciplinary methods to effectively communicate scientific research with broader audiences and further study soil health on-farm. In her free time, Prabu enjoys gardening, running, crocheting, painting, cooking, and spending time with friends and family!
COLE GOLDMAN, BS
Graduate Student
Cole is ecstatic to be joining the Rhizosphere Dynamics Lab. He is starting as a master's student, after having obtained his B.S. in Biological Sciences from Colorado State University. Cole will be studying how severe weather, specifically flooding, impacts crop yield, soil food webs and nutrient cycling; as well as developing post-flood nutrient application recommendations to remedy flooding impacts. Additionally, Cole is interested in researching soil nematode biodiversity, mycorrhizae symbiosis, food security and the impacts of climate change on global soil integrity. Cole loves to hike, listen to nearly any kind of music, and enjoys an iced mocha while walking through a park.
JACOB MURRAY
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Jacob is a third-year undergraduate student at Ohio State studying Ecological Engineering (in FABE) along with a minor in Science and Engineering in the Public Interest. This summer, he is very excited to be helping out with a number of projects, particularly in studying the effects of drought on nitrogen cycling and the soil food web under different management strategies; as well as the abundance of enrichment opportunist nematodes across different ecosystems. Within this, he hopes to contribute to the design of more sustainable agroecosystems under changing climatic conditions. Jacob also loves to spend any time he can outside - especially hiking and biking - or roasting his own coffee.
CHRISTIAN MAMMANA
Undergraduate Research Assistant - REU Program
Christian is a part of the competitive Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) summer internship program with the Kellogg Biological Station at Michigan State University. He will be with our lab this summer full-time, working closely with our graduate students to collect, analyze and present his data in a research project. This fall he will be in his final year for undergrad at Akron University.