Dr. Armstrong is an Assistant Professor of Soil Science and Agronomy in the Department of Agriculture at Illinois State University. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Plant and Soil Science at Southern University, a Master’s degree in Soil Fertility at Alabama A&M University, and a Ph.D. in Agronomy from Purdue University. Within the first three years of his professorate, Dr. Armstrong has successfully supported his research program through federal, state and private extramural research funding (>1 million dollars), which supports a research team of four scientist, 4 master students and three undergraduate research assistants. The overarching objective of his research program is to determine the agronomic, environmental, and economic benefits of cover crop inclusion within conventional and alternative nitrogen management systems on multiple scales: plot, field, and watershed. The impact of Dr. Armstrong’s research program has been recognized via two consecutive awards of Departmental Outstanding Researcher in 2012 and 2013 and numerous invited presentations to share his research findings to farmers, agricultural commodity groups, extension agents, and state/government soil conservation agents. Furthermore, Dr. Armstrong teaches 4 courses, Introduction to Soil Science, Soil Fertility, Graduate Seminar, and Research Design, while serving as the Faculty advisor of the Agriculture Science Club and the Louis Stoke Alliance for Minority Participation program. In recognition of his innovative teaching and effective mentoring, Dr. Armstrong was awarded the Impact award, a student nominated university award in 2012 and the Departmental Outstanding Teaching Award in 2013.

Travis Deppe is passionate about the industry of plant and soil sciences, which dates back to his childhood, where he lived and worked on his family grain farm. His initial interests are reflected in his current research, which accents the implementation of cover crops to advance the efficacy of fall applied nitrogen. His research is currently being conducted at the Illinois State University farm in Lexington, IL where he furthers his education with the goal of graduating with his M.S. in the fall semester of 2015. Prior to this he received his B.S. in agriculture in the spring of 2013 from Western Illinois University. He is a member of both the American Society of Agronomy (ASA) and the Soil and Water Conservation Services (SWCS).