Dave Mengel grew up NW Indiana, about 40 miles SE of Chicago. An active member of 4-H and FFA, he received a BS in Ag Education and MS in Agronomy from Purdue University in 1970 and 1972 respectively, and a PhD in Soil Science from N.C. State University in 1975. Recently retired after a 40+ year career, he worked in extension, applied research and teaching, at LSU (1975-1979), Purdue (1979-1998) and Kansas State (1998-2016). He taught both undergraduate and graduate courses in soil fertility at Purdue and K-State and has directed the thesis/ dissertation research of over 40 grad students. His research has been across a broad range of topics in soil fertility and crop production, with a focus on efficient fertilizer use, especially nitrogen fertilizer management, for grain and forage crops. He served as Head of Agronomy at K-State from 1998 through 2005, when he stepped down to return to what he really enjoyed: teaching, extension, problem solving research and training graduate students. Dave is an active member of the American Society of Agronomy and Soil Science Society of America, and a Certified Professional Soil Scientist, Certified Professional Agronomist and a CCA. Dave currently lives in NE Kansas where he is farming, doing a little consulting, spoiling his Grandkids, and hopefully find a little time to go hunting and fishing.
