JANICE THIES is an Associate Professor of Soil Biology in Crop and Soil Sciences and International Professor of Soil Ecology. She is a 2006 American Society for Microbiology Latin America International Professor and has led five international workshops on Soil Molecular Ecology. Dr. Thies was an team member of the Cornell Institute for Social Sciences theme project entitled 'Contentious Knowledge: Science, Social Science and Social Movements', the Cornell Cooperative Extension Soil Health Program Work Team, the S-1022 Technical Regional Project Committee and the W2170 Regional Project. She has served as an expert consultant to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the National Institute for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in Iran, the USDA Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research Grants Program, and has served twice on Scientific Advisory Panels for the US-EPA. She is a current associate editor of the Soil Science Society of America Journal and past member of the Editorial Board of Applied and Environmental Microbiology and the CALS Faculty Senate, where she served on the Executive Committee and as both Secretary and acting Chair. Her research program in soil ecology focuses on developing, testing and implementing methods to assess soil biological quality, remediate degraded soils, and improve soil management practices to ensure the long-term sustainability of agricultural ecosystems.