September 8, 2026 | Erin Bluvas, bluvase@sc.edu
Megha Singh grew up in what is known as the “Food Bowl of India.” The agrarian community in Punjab introduced the environmental health sciences (ENHS) doctoral student to farming from a very young age.
Growing up, she often visited her grandparents’ home, spending time in their vegetable garden and experiencing the lush green agricultural fields that were part of the surrounding landscape. Singh also observed them using manure and, occasionally, fertilizers to help improve the garden’s yield. Her grandparents shared stories about how farming was practiced in their time, on a smaller scale and with largely manual labor.
“Watching my grandparents cultivate their vegetable garden, and seeing others work the fields naturally sparked many questions in me, like why fertilizers were added and what was in the soil that could turn a tiny seed into a thriving crop,” Singh says. “While witnessing traditional farming practices answered some of these questions, I became increasingly curious about the science behind them, particularly what was happening in the soil that we could not see.”
When it was time to attend college at Punjab Agricultural University, studying agriculture was a natural fit for Singh, and she began to understand the science behind soil and food production, how agricultural practices influence the food we eat, and how they shape the memories and ways of life that stay with communities across generations. Singh followed that degree with a master’s in soil science from the University of Wyoming, where her research focused on soil health in high-elevation, flood-irrigated meadows. She then immediately enrolled in the Arnold School’s Ph.D. in ENHS program.
“In my graduate programs, I’ve discovered the joy of science, process of asking questions, working in the lab, running experiments, and trying to understand problems facing the natural world,” Singh says. “I have found myself deeply engaged in lab and field work, especially as I began to see how the questions we study connect to problems beyond the laboratory.”
Singh’s decision to attend USC was driven by the approachable and generous ENHS faculty, particularly the opportunity to work with assistant professor Andi Jilling. With shared interests in understanding the connections between soil, agriculture, and environmental health, the two have been conducting research together in Jilling’s Environmental Soil Science Lab since Singh’s arrival in 2024.
“Dr. Jilling is a knowledgeable, supportive, and compassionate advisor who has always encouraged me to grow not only in my research project but also as a scientist and as a person,” the Norman J. Arnold Doctoral Fellow says. “She gives me the freedom to explore my ideas, ask questions, and learn through the process, while always being there to provide guidance when I need it.”
Singh credits Jilling’s support and guidance for helping her achieve the most recent milestone in her career: securing a Bayer Fellowship to support a three-month research experience. From encouraging her to pursue the opportunity to helping her develop her research proposal to connecting her with professors in Germany, Singh’s mentor has been with her every step of the way.
“Thanks to this support from the Bayer Foundation, I will join Dr. Steffen Schweizer’s lab at the Technical University of Munich, where I will receive training in NanoSIMS, an advanced analytical technique for studying soil processes at nano-scales,” Singh says. “Germany has a long-standing reputation as a ‘land of thinkers and innovators,’ and many important agricultural advancements have come from there, which makes me especially excited about this opportunity. I believe this experience will strengthen my research skills, broaden my perspective, and help me grow toward becoming an independent researcher.”
With interests in the composition and behavior of two distinct soil organic matter pools – particulate organic matter, made up of partially broken-down plant material, and mineral-associated organic matter, which is bound to soil minerals – her research focuses on how mineral-associated organic matter regulates nitrogen availability to plants and microbes. Although this mineral-bound pool holds a substantial amount of soil nitrogen, most of it is not accessible. Through her doctoral training, Singh hopes to better understand the processes that make this nitrogen available to reduce reliance on mineral fertilizers and apply that knowledge to support soil health and more efficient nitrogen management throughout her career.
When thinking about her long-term goals, she returns to Nobel Peace Prize laureate and agricultural scientist Norman Borlaug’s proclamation that ‘food is the moral right of all who are born into this world.’
“Through pursuing a career in soil science, I hope to contribute to this vision and
be part of the next agricultural revolution – one that meets the food demands of a
growing population while sustainably managing our natural resources,” Singh says.
