2025 Lecturer | Dr. Alexandra Kravchenko

About the Lecturer

Portrait of Alexandra Kravchenko

Dr. Alexandra Kravchenko is a leading researcher in soil physics, spatial analysis, and soil biogeochemistry. For over two decades, her work has advanced understanding of how soil structure, management practices, and environmental conditions influence carbon storage and greenhouse gas emissions. Her research spans from microscale interactions between soil pores and microbial activity to landscape-scale assessments of long-term conservation strategies.

Dr. Kravchenko is internationally recognized for advancing our understanding of soil carbon and nitrogen cycling from micro-aggregates to entire landscapes. Her pioneering work in geostatistics, multifractal analysis, and power analysis has shaped how spatial variability is studied in soil and agricultural systems.

She has led major interdisciplinary projects, including long-term conservation research at MSU’s Kellogg Biological Station and collaborative work with the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center. A dedicated mentor and educator, she has trained graduate students and postdocs, taught advanced statistical methods, and co-coordinated the MSU Statistical Consulting Center.

Dr. Kravchenko also leads award-winning public science outreach, creating exhibits and multimedia experiences that communicate complex soil processes to thousands in engaging and accessible formats.

Awards

Notable awards include:

  • Fellow, American Soc. of Agronomy, 2013
  • Fellow, Soil Science Soc. of America, 2014
  • Von Humboldt Research Award, 2017
  • Don and Betty Kirkham Soil Physics Award, 2020

Education

  • B.Sc. (Soil Science) Moscow State Univ., Russia 1993
  • Ph.D. (Soil Science) Univ. Wyoming, 1997
  • Post-doctoral Research Assoc. (Agriculture/Soil Science) Univ. Illinois – 1997-2001

Lecture Details

  • Ellis Lecture: "Soil Pores as Habitats for Microorganisms," 4:00 PM Tuesday Sept. 16, 2025, Regnier Forum, Reginer Hall, Kansas State University.
  • Technical Seminar: "Belowground interplant C and N exchanges and their contributions to plant-derived C soil inputs," 9:30 AM Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025, 2002 Throckmorton Plant Science Center, Kansas State University.