Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Professors Join International Conservation Leadership Program

Four local conservationists have just begun a year-long journey to improve their professional and leadership skills and better serve their communities and conservation efforts.

Two professors and one staff member from the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, and one professor from the Cooperative Extension Service, were accepted into the Soil and Water Conservation Society Emerging Leaders Program 2025 cohort. The experiment station and the extension service are the research and outreach arms, respectively, of the U of A System Division of Agriculture.

All four are members of the Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Department: Gerson Drescher, assistant professor of soil fertility; Bronc Finch, assistant professor and state extension specialist in soil fertility; Diego Della Lunga, a postdoc fellow; and Shannon Speir, assistant professor of water quality. Drescher and Speir are also part of the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences. 

According to the organization, they were accepted into the 2025 cohort for their "outstanding commitment to the science and art of conservation." 

"Participation will be a great benefit not only to the participants themselves but also to their research labs, students and collaborators within the department and Division of Agriculture," said Crop, Soil and Environment Sciences interim department head Trent Roberts. "This opportunity will highlight our great work and lead to bigger and better collaborations for our faculty and staff well into the future." 

Drescher, Finch, Della Lunga and Speir are among a group of about 160 up-and-coming leaders in conservation from around the world. They will now have a chance to share their contributions and learn from mentors and colleagues.  

"I hope this will provide me with ideas and additional skills to improve my research program," Speir said. "I'm excited to learn how to better serve the communities where we conduct our research. Our work never stops in soil and water conservation, and we can always learn new tools and ways to engage and serve stakeholders and improve our environment."

The Emerging Leaders Program is an online leadership experience that includes learning modules, mentorship and hands-on projects to advance young professionals' careers and better prepare them to make a difference in their communities.  

"It's a great opportunity to learn how to lead and engage stakeholders while better serving them as a young extension soil scientist working to improve production and conservation practices," Finch said. 

Throughout the year, participants engage in interactive training and learning activities to gain professional skills such as communication, time management, event planning, public speaking and networking.  

"These skills are key to junior faculty," Drescher said. "Beyond that, the program offers great opportunities to work with and learn from other soil conservation professionals' experiences." 

The program is for professionals in the first five years of their career in the conservation field, post-graduation in various industries, including the federal government, conservation districts, nonprofits, universities and the private sector. There is no cost to participants. 

"One of the most important aspects for future scientists is a network of scholars, professionals and passionate individuals," Della Lunga said. "This honor comes with the humble feeling that I have a lot to learn, and this program will provide opportunities to learn various approaches to address conservation issues."

This is the second year for the program after a successful inaugural year in 2023-2024 with 95 participants.  

The Soil and Water Conservation Society is an international organization for professionals who practice and advance the science and art of natural resource conservation. Drescher, Finch, Della Lunga and Speir are members of the society's Arkansas Razorback Chapter.

​To learn more about the Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website. Follow us on 𝕏 at @ArkAgResearch, subscribe to the Food, Farms and Forests podcast and sign up for our monthly newsletter, the Arkansas Agricultural Research Report. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. Follow us on 𝕏 at @AgInArk. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu.

About the Division of Agriculture: The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture's mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation's historic land grant education system. The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses. The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.