DR. ROBERT DIXON’S BIOGRAPHY
Chair and founder of The Imprinting Foundation, Robert Dixon: Soil Research
Scientist, Emeritus; Adjunct Professor at: University of Wisconsin, Madison;
University of Montana, Sydney; University of Nevada, Reno; University of Arizona,
Tucson.
His speciality areas include:
Development of infiltrometers and conduct of infiltration research.
Development and demonstration of land imprinting and seeding equipment.
Conduct re-vegetation and ecological restoration projects both large and small.
Consulting in the fields of infiltration, land imprinting, ecological restoration, and sustainable agriculture.
Here is a very Reader's Digest condensed version of his biography:
DECADE ACTIVITY
1920's: Born 30 May 29, Leon , KS -another financial burden for my parents on the year of the stock market crash.
1930's: Witnessed the dust bowl while growing up on a S.E. Kansas farm where severe land desertification was caused by
ploughing the prairies for wheat production and row crops in conjunction with an extended drought.
1940's: Attended Leon High School and El Dorado Junior College , and was Salutatorian upon graduation at both schools.
Farmed with my brother and father.
1950's: Farmed with my father and experienced another long period of drought-induced land desertification with poor farming
practices contributing. Invented several mechanical devices for farm use.
Drafted into the army and served in France as a wheel vehicle mechanic.
Attended Kansas State University and received a B.S. Degree in Technical Agronomy and an M.S. Degree in Soil Chemistry.
1960's: Worked as a Research soil Scientist for the Agricultural research Service at the University of Wisconsin, Madison,
Wisconsin .
Attended graduate school and received a Ph.D. in a split major: Soil Physics and Plant Physiology (1966).
Constructed several infiltrometers and conducted infiltration research.
Invented several infiltrometer improvements.
Transferred by ARS, USDA to a new Research Center in Sidney, Montana .
Constructed another sprinkling infiltrometer and did more infiltration research on grasslands west of Sidney .
Worked for the Ford Foundation in Cairo, Egypt on increasing corn production in the Nile Valley .
Transferred by ARS, USDA to the Fleishman Agricultural College in Reno , Nevada where another sprinkling infiltrometer was
constructed and several different types of closed-top infiltrometers were invented.
Published scientific papers on infiltration research.
Served as Research Leader for the Reno Field Station.
1970's: Transferred by ARS, USDA to the Southwest Watershed Research Center in Tucson & Tombstone, Arizona.
Conducted more infiltration research.
Invented land imprinting based on infiltration research in 1976 and patented it in 1980.
Tested land imprinting for re-vegetation of desertification range land at a number of different sites. Published scientific papers
on infiltration research and land imprinting.
1980's: Continued testing of imprinting for re-vegetation of degraded range land.
Retired from ARS, USDA in 1985 and co-founded The Imprinting Foundation in 1986.
Constructed several imprinters and tested them for ecological restoration in southern Arizona and southern California.
Published scientific papers on land imprinting.
1990's Tested a small land imprinter on Freshkills Landfill on Staten Island, New York City.
Constructed and sold a 10-foot land imprinter to New York City .
Attended many conferences and presented many papers and posters on the merits of land imprinting.
Published papers on land imprinting and infiltration research.
2000's Published detailed land imprinting specifications in the 2000 IECA, Proceedings.
Published updated land imprinting specifications in SERI 04 proceedings, conference at Victoria University, Canada.
Helped Western Ecology, Santa Fe, NM , manufacture several land imprinters.
Invented a patentable row-crop land imprinter that is markedly different in design from the rangeland imprinter.
Prepared publishable essay on Global Warming.
Prepared a short paper to be published in Ecological Restoration.
AWARDS
Received an award for the best technical paper presented at the annual conference of the International Erosion Control
Association (IECA), Palm Springs , CA , 2/2000.
Received an '07 Innovation award on land imprinting from the Wall Street Journal
Made cover page on several technical magazines and professional publications
• Meteorology
• Hydrology
• Desertification Control
• Global Warming Control
• Biofuel Production
• Conservation Tillage
• Soil Science
• Plant Physiology
• Climatology
• Erosion Control
• Earth Sciences
• Photography
• Conservation Essays
• Exotic Weed Control
• Native Game Ranching
• Ecological Restoration
• Conservation Farming
• Horticulture
• Landscaping
• Gardening
CURRENT PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS INCLUDE:
(and it should be noted that Bob occasionally enjoys that great Tucson Mexican food..
and perhaps a margarita... for medicinal purposes)
©2000 All rights reserved.
