Biography

Dr. Bethany Wolters is an associate professor of Plant and Soil Sciences. She teaches and advises students in Natural Resources (Soil and water conservation and Environmental management concentrations) and Agricultural Sciences (Crop and Soil Science and Agricultural Production concentrations).

Dr. Wolters' research program engages undergraduate students in investigations of soil fertility, soil health, and biostimulants in soybeans, vegetables, and cover crops. Through this mentorship, students develop research skills while contributing to meaningful scientific inquiry in sustainable agriculture.

She serves as coach of the UTM Soil Judging Team, directing students in competitive soil evaluation and land use assessment. She has led travel study trips to Washington State and regularly coordinates travel with students across the Southeast for soil judging competitions, providing valuable field experience and professional networking opportunities

Education

  • PhD in Crop and Soil Enviornmental Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
  • Masters in Soil Science, Washington State University
  • Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, University of Tennessee at Martin

Awards & Recognitions

  • North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Teaching Merit Award 2024
  • 2025 Soil Education and Outreach Division Chair in Soil Science Society of America

Courses Taught

  • SOIL 210 Soils
  • SOIL 412 Soil Fertility and Chemistry
  • SOIL 315 Soil and Water Conservation
  • PLSC 342 Fruit and Vegetable Production
  • PLSC 365 Greenhouse Crops and Management

Selected Publications, Articles & Presentations

  • Wolters, B., Angel, H., & Lepcha, I. (2023). Student perception and performance with self-guided learning in soil science laboratory courses. Natural Sciences Education, 52, e20120. https://doi.org/10.1002/nse2.20120.
  • Wolters, B. and I. Lepcha. May 2021. Unexpected shift to introductory soil field activity at home: Teacher and student experience. Natural Science Education 50(1):e20059. Dio 10.1002/nse2.20059.
  • Sias, C., B.R. Wolters, M.S. Reiter, and M.L. Flessner. 2021. Cover crops as a weed seed bank management tool: A soil down review. Ital J Agronomy 16(4). doi: 10.4081/ija.2021.1852.
  • Wolters, B. Fun Fridays: Incorporating Hands-on Learning into Lecture Courses. Mar 3, 2022. Teaching in the University: Learning from the Experiences of Grad Students and Early Career Faculty. D. M. Westfall-Rudd, C. Vengrin and J. Elliott-Engle [Eds.]. Virginia Tech Libraries, Blacksburg, VA. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/102307. Spring 2021.
Areas of Expertise
Soil fertility and fertilizers
Soil health
Cover crops
Vegetable production
Departments
Department of Agriculture, Geoscience, and Natural Resources
Office
266 Brehm Hall