Suk Young Hong (Korea)

Name:          Suk Young Hong

Age:             44     

Position:        Senior Researcher (since 2008, 1995~ :  Researcher)

Address:       National Academy of Agricultural Science, RDA

       150 Suin-ro, Gweonsun-gu, Suwon 441-707

       Republic of Korea

E-mail:           

1. When did you decide to study soil science?

In 1995, I joined a remote sensing job in Soil Management Division, National Academy of Agricultural Science (NAAS), RDA as a researcher. Since then I started to study soils in earnest. Actually I didn’t decide to study soil science by myself but the given jobs made me study soils. I have worked on VIS/NIR spectroscopy for estimating soil properties and land use & land cover classification using satellite images in Korea. I have managed national soils database of Korea and operating information system and service since 2004. I also do crop yield estimation based on remotely sensed data including optical and radar data.

2. Who has been your most influential teacher?

Since I studied just a couple of soil classes in university, crop physiology, remote sensing, and agricultural meteorology before I joined Soil Management Division, RDA, I don’t have any influential teacher in soil science classes in university but in remote sensing and crop science parts. My colleagues working with me in my soils division are all teachers of mine. Budiman Minasny and Alex McBratney have been my most influential teachers in soil science since the first Global Workshop on Digital Soil Mapping which was held in Montpellier, France in 2004. They brought me to DSM community and I am learning from them and the community.

3. What do you find most exciting about soil science?

Mapping soil functions is the most exciting part to me. Mapping the capabilities of soils is important for various agricultural, environmental, and ecological applications and the soil maps can depict soil properties and specific soil functions.

4. How would you stimulate teenagers and young graduates to study soil science?  

I would like to show them the movie ‘Wall-E’ and then to say that “you are the key persons to save the earth”.

5. How do you see the future of soil science?

No life without soil and no soil without life, so soil equals life.