College of Agricultural Sciences
Department of Soil and Crop Sciences
Appointed: 2001
Office: C130 Plant Sciences
Phone: (970) 491-6394
Email: Ken.Barbarick@colostate.edu
Web: View Ken Barbarick's Web Page
Degrees:
Dr. Ken Barbarick, Professor of Soil Science, joined the Colorado State University faculty in 1979. He currently teaches Introductory Soil Science and co-teaches Soils, Environment, and Society with Gary Peterson, Department Emeritus of Soil and Crop Sciences. He has also taught Soil Chemistry and Environmental Agronomy.
Dr. Barbarick's primary goal is to make his large Introductory Soil Science course feel like a small-class experience. Taking photos of the students and learning their names is the first step in the process. He routinely teaches 3 or 4 lab sections out of the 8 offered where he has personal contact with individual students. Frequent exams based on behavioral objectives are one of his most effective tools; he gives 10 exams, weekly quizzes, plus a final each semester to keep students on task. He effectively uses humor to set students at ease.
Professor Barbarick feels strongly that well-designed laboratory sessions are crucial for introductory science courses. To this end, 17 of his nearly 100 refereed journal articles and book chapters deal with soil science education and 7 of the 17 teaching papers describe new lab exercises.
He has received several national awards including the USDA-NASULGC Food and Agriculture Sciences Excellence in Teaching Award (2004), Soil Science Education Award from the Soil Science Society of America (1991) and the Agronomic Resident Education Award from the American Society of Agronomy (1990). He also has been selected as a Fellow in the Soil Science Society of America, American Society of Agronomy, and the National Association of College and Teachers of Agriculture.
Currently, he teaches Introductory Soil Science (SOCR 240) lecture and labs and team teaches Soils, Environment, and Society (SOC 321) with Dr. Gary Peterson.